How would you get out of this situation?

Imagine this.

It's one of those moments.  It's late and you're on the way home.  Perhaps you're walking down a dark street, or waiting in the subway, or getting into your car in a deserted parking lot. 

But there you are. Alone in a darkened area.  With danger lurking on the edge of your thoughts.  Usually, there's nothing to worry about.  Usually. 

Those are the times when your mind starts to run wild with possibilities.  What if someone were to approach you?  What if there was no place to hide, and no one around to help?  What if your attacker was stronger and faster? What if?

What would you do?

In America, we're told to make a fuss.  To scream and run and fight if someone attacks us.  To yell "fire" at the top of our lungs because that is an emergency where people run to help.  To wear a rape whistle and carry pepper spray.

Not everyone does this.

For the Japanese, it's quite a different situation.  Many would rather avoid confrontation entirely.  "Making a scene would be too embarrassing."

So, in Japan, inventors are coming up with ways for people to escape a bad situation in a non-aggressive way.

Friday's New York Times actually had an article about the innovative products that nervous people can buy to protect themselves from street crime.

There's a purse that unfolds to look like a manhole cover.  Put it on the ground, and a wallet could easily escape detection.

Or knife-proof school uniforms so parents can breath easier about their children.

But, by far my personal favorite is the skirt that unfolds to look like a vending machine!

Take a look:

Some of those ideas sounds absolutely crazy to us.  Why would someone ever want to disguise themselves as a vending machine to escape?  And, many such ideas are crazy.

But I'm telling you about this article because it has a couple paragraphs that people who are interested in creativity and innovation need to read!

Columnist Martin Fackler reports:

“Japanese society won’t just laugh, so inventors are not afraid to try new things,” said Takumi Hirai, chairman of Japan’s largest association of individual inventors, the 10,000-member Hatsumeigakkai.

In fact, Japan produces so many unusual inventions that it even has a word for them: chindogu, or “queer tools.” The term was popularized by Kenji Kawakami, whose hundreds of intentionally impractical and humorous inventions have won him international attention as Japan’s answer to Rube Goldberg. His creations, which he calls “unuseless,” include a roll of toilet paper attached to the head for easy reach in hay fever season, and tiny mops for a cat’s feet that polish the floor as the cat prowls.

Mr. Kawakami said that while some of Japan’s anticrime devices might not seem practical, they were valuable because they might lead to even better ideas.

“Even useless things can be useful,” he said. “The weird logic of these inventions helps us see the world in fresh ways.”

Wow! This is a society that has nailed the perfect attitude to encourage creativity.

Inventors are willing to come up with outlandish ideas to solve problems that the Japanese people face--because they won't be laughed out of the room.

AND, people actually appreciate the crazy ideas because they know it's part of a process. 

Sounds like a marvelous environment for creativity. 

Where would you rather innovate?  In a place where people will tell you all the reasons your idea won't work, or somewhere that people are willing to give it a shot?

Download fearing_crime_japanese_wear_the_hiding_place_new_york_times.pdf

 

Comments

[Phil Gerbyshak]

What an awesome example of how we can be, and what we can create, if we're not afraid of failure or being laughed at.

While I don't think I would dress up like a vending machine (except for Halloween perhaps), I try to embrace those who would create something as innovative as this.

Definitely something to think about Katie. Thanks for bringing it to light!

It's such a fun idea, isn't it? I don't think many unafraid-to-be-loud Americans would get something like that for safety, but it's great to see what other cultures come up with.

And, what a Halloween costume that would be! I would have such a ball with this!

[Daniel Sitter, Idea Seller]

Great point Katie!

Fear of both failure and embarrassment often prevent people from creatively expressing themselves, at least publicly. Interestingly, the Japanese appear to have created an "idea incubator" of sorts!

Unfortunately, our society often fosters performance and immediate results at the expense of individual creativity.

Very good point, Daniel. That we focus too much on results to allow outrageous ideas. That vending machine won't have an immediate payoff, but (as they said in the article) it opens people up for new possibilities.

[Gylon jackson]

That is a great post. To many blog posts don't make you think. You made me think which will expand my creativity... very very cool. All of your post help me be more creative and think outside of the box. We need more people like you in the world...
I am going to tell my sister about this blog also. I have 4 blogs and after reading your blog, I see that I can be more creative in my post.

Thanks
Gylon Jackson