Chindogu
Chindogu
A friend of mine recently complained that her husband spends all his time in the basement, dreaming up useless inventions. “I wouldn’t mind so much if he came up with something that would sell,” she said, “but all these pointless contraptions are a waste of time.”
Boy, have I got a book for my friend. 101 Useless Japanese Invention by Kenji Kawakami contains photographs and descriptions of (you guessed it) 101 totally useless but fascinating inventions created by people who are determined to solve problems we don't have. According to the editors of the book, these inventions have – and I quote - "broken free from the chains of usefulness to enjoy the sublime liberation of the highly impractical."
This concept of coming up with answers for which there are no questions is so intriguing that the Japanese have actually built a philosophy of design around it called Chindogu. As far as I can tell, Chindogu means that while inventions can be created which are initially intended to solve real problems, in order to be truly Chindogu, these inventions must fail "heroically, magnificently and beautifully."
Chindogu, then, is the art of failing spectacularly.
Is this a great idea or what?
Some examples from the book include the Hydrophobe's Bathing Suit which allows the wearer to take a bath without getting wet, the Daddy Nurser which is a sort of double-cup bra-type harness designed to –quote - "let Dad experience the joy of motherhood," and the Duster Slippers for cats which are booties with tassels that feline household pets wear around the house to help chase dust bunnies out from under the furniture.
Is North America ready for Chindogu? Considering that we are the people who invented and embraced the "J"-cloth which was so much more than a paper towel, so much less than a rag, the umbrella-you-wear-like-a-hat, and Jiffy-pop, I believe that North America in not only ready for Chindogu, but is already on the leading edge of the movement, with examples of Chindogu that date back to the last century.
I give you the old-fashioned wood-and-metal instrument designed to simultaneously peel and core an apple, for instance. The idea behind this invention was that the user would insert an apple into the device, turn a crank, and the apple would be both peeled and cored at the same time. Given that it took a good deal longer to insert the apple and perform all the necessary actions than it did to take out a pocket-knife and do the same thing, the invention of the apple-corer/peeler indicates that our pioneering ancestors either had way too much time on their hands, or had a much under-appreciated sense of humor.
A more recent example of North American Chindogu is the so-called "leaf-blower", which is a motorized device using an internal combustion engine to blow leaves and dust off sidewalks and lawns. The engine sucks fuel like a racing car, pollutes like a truck, deafens the user, frightens pets for miles around, retails for the price of a small motorcycle, and is only slightly less efficient than a broom or a rake.
So for those of you who spend countless hours perfecting cat grooming machines, silver cleaners, vegetable choppers and aluminum can compactors, take heart. Failing heroically in your endeavors may not land you your very own informercial, but it will guarantee you a spot in the Chindogu hall of fame.
A friend of mine recently complained that her husband spends all his time in the basement, dreaming up useless inventions. “I wouldn’t mind so much if he came up with something that would sell,” she said, “but all these pointless contraptions are a waste of time.”
Boy, have I got a book for my friend. 101 Useless Japanese Invention by Kenji Kawakami contains photographs and descriptions of (you guessed it) 101 totally useless but fascinating inventions created by people who are determined to solve problems we don't have. According to the editors of the book, these inventions have – and I quote - "broken free from the chains of usefulness to enjoy the sublime liberation of the highly impractical."
This concept of coming up with answers for which there are no questions is so intriguing that the Japanese have actually built a philosophy of design around it called Chindogu. As far as I can tell, Chindogu means that while inventions can be created which are initially intended to solve real problems, in order to be truly Chindogu, these inventions must fail "heroically, magnificently and beautifully."
Chindogu, then, is the art of failing spectacularly.
Is this a great idea or what?
Some examples from the book include the Hydrophobe's Bathing Suit which allows the wearer to take a bath without getting wet, the Daddy Nurser which is a sort of double-cup bra-type harness designed to –quote - "let Dad experience the joy of motherhood," and the Duster Slippers for cats which are booties with tassels that feline household pets wear around the house to help chase dust bunnies out from under the furniture.
Is North America ready for Chindogu? Considering that we are the people who invented and embraced the "J"-cloth which was so much more than a paper towel, so much less than a rag, the umbrella-you-wear-like-a-hat, and Jiffy-pop, I believe that North America in not only ready for Chindogu, but is already on the leading edge of the movement, with examples of Chindogu that date back to the last century.
I give you the old-fashioned wood-and-metal instrument designed to simultaneously peel and core an apple, for instance. The idea behind this invention was that the user would insert an apple into the device, turn a crank, and the apple would be both peeled and cored at the same time. Given that it took a good deal longer to insert the apple and perform all the necessary actions than it did to take out a pocket-knife and do the same thing, the invention of the apple-corer/peeler indicates that our pioneering ancestors either had way too much time on their hands, or had a much under-appreciated sense of humor.
A more recent example of North American Chindogu is the so-called "leaf-blower", which is a motorized device using an internal combustion engine to blow leaves and dust off sidewalks and lawns. The engine sucks fuel like a racing car, pollutes like a truck, deafens the user, frightens pets for miles around, retails for the price of a small motorcycle, and is only slightly less efficient than a broom or a rake.
So for those of you who spend countless hours perfecting cat grooming machines, silver cleaners, vegetable choppers and aluminum can compactors, take heart. Failing heroically in your endeavors may not land you your very own informercial, but it will guarantee you a spot in the Chindogu hall of fame.
posted by Millie Beagle at 2:43 pm
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