If you could design a telepathy system, how would it work?

Would people have to be in close proximity in order to read other people’s thoughts, or could they do it at any distance? Could they read everyone else’s thoughts, or only certain people’s? If so, what distinguishes those whose thoughts you can read? Can you block out someone else from reading you? If not, what would it feel like to have all these other people’s thoughts bombarding you?

Would it be a selective thing, where two people have to agree? Would it be like the Vulcan mind meld? Would it be like those dementers in Harry Potter, and you could force yourself in and rearrange someone else’s thoughts?

Can you imagine a system where telepathy wouldn’t drive everyone around the bend, and lead to everyone isolating themselves from each other just for a moment of peace?