Chindogu - the japanese art of unuselessness

'butter stick' (not patented), 1995
courtesy kenji kawakami

Many times I've come across photos of a particular style of  crazy Japanese inventions that brought me to my knees with laughter. These seemingly useful gadgets were hilarious, ingenious, and sort of ridiculous. For example, there was a photo of a woman with an umbrella hat. Or a baby jumper that cleans the floor as the baby crawls around the floor. These inventions are brilliant and silly. They seem to have a great usefulness, until you further evaluate and discover that they are not entirely perfect ideas.

This style of inventions is called Chindogu (which means unusual), a term created by a Japanese investor and "Mail Order Life" magazine editor, Kenji Kawakami. The term was further spread as a monthly feature in Tokyo magazine, where readers were encouraged to send in ideas. In the mid 90's, Papia and Kawakami collaborated on 101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions: The Art of Chindōgu, and later, 99 More Unuseless Japanese Inventions. 

According to Chindogu.com, there are 10 tenets of Chindogu:

'food cooler' (not patented), 1997
courtesy kenji kawakami

1. A Chindogu cannot be for real use

It is fundamental to the spirit of Chindogu that inventions claiming Chindogu status must be, from a practical point of view, (almost) completely useless. If you invent something which turns out to be so handy that you use it all the time, then you have failed to make a Chindogu. Try the Patent Office.

2. A Chindogu must exist

You're not allowed to use a Chindogu, but it must be made. You have to be able to hold it in your hand and think 'I can actually imagine someone using this. Almost.' In order to be useless, it must first be.  

3. Inherent in every Chindogu is the spirit of anarchy

Chindogu are man-made objects that have broken free from the chains of usefulness. They represent freedom of thought and action: the freedom to challenge the suffocating historical dominance of conservative utility; the freedom to be (almost) useless.

4. Chindogu are tools for everyday life

Chindogu are a form of nonverbal communication understandable to everyone, everywhere. Specialised or technical inventions, like a threehandled sprocket loosener for drainpipes centred between two  under-the-sink cabinet doors (the uselessness of which will only be appreciated by plumbers), do not count.

5. Chindogu are not for sale

Chindogu are not tradable commodities. If you accept money for one you surrender your purity. They must not even be sold as a joke.

6. Humour must not be the sole reason for creating a Chindogu

The creation of Chindogu is fundamentally a problem-solving activity. Humour is simply the by-product of finding an elaborate or unconventional solution to a problem that may not have been that pressing to begin with.

7. Chindogu is not propaganda

Chindogu are innocent. They are made to be used, even though they cannot be used. They should not be created as a perverse or ironic comment on the sorry state of mankind.

8. Chindogu are never taboo

The International Chindogu Society has established certain standards of social decency. Cheap sexual innuendo, humour of a vulgar nature, and sick or cruel jokes that debase the sanctity of living things are not allowed.

9. Chindogu cannot be patented

Chindogu are offerings to the rest of the world - they are not therefore ideas to be copyrighted, patented, collected and owned. As they say in Spain, mi Chindogu es tu Chindogu.

10. Chindogu are without prejudice

Chindogu must never favour one race or religion over another. Young and old, male and female, rich and poor - all should have a free and equal chance to enjoy each and every Chindogu.

Creative exercise!

1. Think of three daily annoyances that you encounter in daily life, eg. your morning coffee is too hot and you need two hands to hold your briefcase and to hold the subway poles, all at the same time.

 

2. Brainstorm some inventions that would solve these there problems. make sure that the inventions follow the 10 tenants of Chindogu.

3. This can be so much fun in a group. Make a game out of it by dividing into 2 teams. Each team tries to create inventions to solve the same problems. the best invention wins the team a point.

4. share some inventions in the comments below!!!

Say Yes!

Say yes!

This past weekend, I spend a night at my cousin’s place. The kids were upstairs with my parents, my cousin was cooking dinner for a party she was having the next day, my cousin's husband was working away on his laptop, and I was trying to digest an extremely tedious research paper .

After some time, my cousin called me over to ice some cupcakes she had made for the kids that would be demolishing her house the next day. My body and bad habits said “NO, thanks”, but my mind sort of said “Yes”. I had been aware that my cousin was slaving away preparing food and had not had anyone to talk to for the last couple of hours. I also reminded myself that her kids, who I adore, would be so happy to eat these cute little mini cupcakes. My mind overruled my body and I hauled myself over to the kitchen and began to ice cupcakes (and eat a few). I said "YES".

I didn’t realize I would have so much fun. My cousin and I became very creative with the limited icing resources we had: a butter knife, a can of chocolate icing, a tube of purple icing, sprinkles of various shapes , but not enough of each shape for consistency, and whatever else was lying around the kitchen.

Most of our cupcakes looked ridiculous, but colourful and cheerful. Nothing resembled those cupcake masterpieces you see on T.V., but we were having so much fun. My cousin’s husband, intrigued by the giggles and bored with his work, decided to join us. He was no master cupcake icer either, but he had fun, and so did we.

I learned a few things that night:

·        If you visit someone’s home, spend time with them. One of the best ways to spend time and bond with people is to work on a creative project together.

·        Don’t say "no" to an impromptu or spontaneous offer to do something creative, eg. ice cupcakes, make holiday decorations, etc. Being closed off to ideas can be a bad habit that manifests in other parts of your life. Be open minded.

·        Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. That why washing machines and quilted paper towels were invented.

·        Laugh while you create. Laughter is definitely good medicine for mental and physical health, and it draws people towards you and what you are doing.

·        Experiment. Flex your exploring muscles. you'll find yourself saying "yes" to so many new ideas and opportunities.

·        You don’t have to be a perfectionist to be creative. There is no harm in not doing something well or correctly the first few times, or ever. My cupcakes were so messy, but I enjoyed myself none the less, and kids don't care what they look like!Some creative projects are can be fun regardless of how perfectly they turn out.

·        Say “yes” to trying something new. Make it a habit. It will bring joy and wonder into your life and create lasting memories.

Welcome to CreativityinLiving!

 We all have a notion of how creative we are. Most often we judge this by our physical skills: I can’t paint, I can’t write a story to save my life, I can’t sing a note, I’ll leave the creative stuff for someone else. Some of us though realize that creativity manifests itself in multiple dimensions of lives. We recognize it in the way we solve issues at work, the parties we throw for our kids, the way we manage our house hold needs and expenses.

We can all live creatively. How? By exercising our creativity muscles daily, even in the smallest of ways. Doing this gradually expands the range of possible outcomes and solutions in the decisions we make and the issues we face. It takes us out of our box of possibilities and increases our capacity for infusing joy, wonder, fulfilment and adventure into our lives and those around us.

Living creatively means “thinking outside the box”, the box of set options and futures that we live by. It allows us to realize that, in most situations, there are mutiple options that we can choose or create for ourselves. It prevents us from being “stuck” and allows us to live a life of meaning, passion, positivity and well-being. It allows us to inspire others and spreads joy and wonder where ever we go.

My intention for this blog is to inspire and nurture creativity and creative living.  I will post information about creativity research, creativity exercises, real life examples of how people incorporate creativity into their daily lives and tips and tools to release your creative spirit.

I welcome contributions. Please send me any examples or stories about creativity or creative living, creativity exercises or articles.

I hope you enjoy this blog and find it informative and inspiring!

SKM

Your Creative Environment

When I sit down to write a song or work on any kind of creative project, I have to clear my work area from clutter and prepare a clean space to work on. If I don't, I find my thoughts blocked and I can't find a starting point for my work. Ridding my workspace of the detritus of everyday life acts as both a physical and mental cleanser. It helps me clear my mind of random, intrusive thoughts that can become obstacles to my creative process. I'm left with a clean physical and mental slate, on which my ideas can blossom and grow.


Now, everyone has a different setup in which they work best. Some may need physical stimulation of objects, pictures, books, etc. Structuring your creative environment is a process of finding what works best for you and your creativity.


If you haven't yet found the right setup, or wish to enhance your current one, here are tips to creating your perfect creative environment:

• Tidy up your work surface. Remove irrelevant papers, dishware, unnecessary stationary and other supplies. Try keeping only the basic tools you need to get started. This will give you mental and physical room to work in.

• Tidy up your immediate environment. Make sure there is nothing underfoot, piles of boxes, books or files that crowd you. Put away cloths, cushions, magazines, etc. Its is amazing how a crowded, messy room can block your creative energy. In a tidy, roomy space your mind and body are free to stretch.

• There is much to be said for organization. By keeping your work tools organized and put away where they can be easily accessed, you allow yourself to maintain a clean workspace with minimal tools, while being able to obtain additional materials as you need them. There are many ways to keep work tools and materials handy, but organized, especially in small spaces. Wall organizers are a great storage tool. They keep things visible, but out of the way.

• Some of us like to keep mementos, sculptures, photos or other stimulating items to help jog our creative juices and inspire us. I have a painting of a pianist painted by one of my favourite painters. It inspires me as I write music and practice my songs. 

• Nature is a great source of inspiration for many of us, but if we can't find a space outdoors, a plant of a flower can instill a sense of life, freshness and beauty into our work environment.

• Aromatherapy is a great way to charge the air with energy, calm and serenity. I prefer lavender and lilies. Sample a variety of scents to find one that works for you.

• Sound can be a great way to set the tone of your work. I prefer silence and the sounds of the city, however, I have a nature sounds app that I play on my phone on occasion that makes me feel peaceful, relaxed and open to ideas. Many people listen to classical music as they create. World music also wonderful to use in your workspace. Choose music specifically to set a tone, to inspire or incite passion inside you. 

• Colour can add or detract from your creative energy, Blue is said to promote creatively, but I have heard the orange can work as well. I find red to be agitating, so I avoid it. Spend some time figuring out how different colours make you feel. You can go to an art store, or paint store and grab some colour swatches to look at. If you can't paint your walls, coloured accents can do the trick, but remember, clutter can refer to colours as well, so don't overdo it.

• A map of the world or a globe can help inspire creativity. I keep a ancient map (a print, not original!) off to the side of my work area. It reminds me of the creativity in the world and how my work fits in it.

Experiment with some or all of these tips to create your ideal creative space or come up with your own ideas. Taking time to do this will make a noticeable difference in your creative flow.

I hope you enjoyed these tips! Share your ideas in the comments section below!