C2. Other half
Target to regenerate
The Relationship between People and Tools
Reason
For people to stop irresponsible production and consumption due to the pursuit of excessive convenience, and make the transition to a new way of life.
The Transition of The Relationship between People and Tools
Circulation as a resource and asset Tools made from limited resources were important family and community assets. Clothing and household goods were passed down from generation to generation, repaired and mended repeatedly, and used with great care. The skills necessary for production, repair, and maintenance were also passed on to family members and local craftsmen.
Mass production and convenience first As a result of the pursuit of economic efficiency, makers and users were separated, and overproduction and mass consumption accelerated. A structure was created in which “producers” put diverse products on the market and “consumers” over-consume them. Gradually, people came to view tools as merely convenient consumables, and this sense of value became the norm.
We can see signs of a transition in people's consciousness from a shift from individual ownership and individualism to common ownership and a sense of community and a groping for sustainable production and use. There is a growing interest in restructuring production systems to consider the global environment and sustainable consumption.
The “right to be used” for tools
Laws for the preservation of the global environment give the tools produced the right to be cared for.
People think of their relationship with tools from a long-term perspective, treating them as important partners that enrich their lives and enjoying even the benefit of inconveniences they cause.
Transition of the relationship between people ＆ tools
In the economically less affluent Edo period, it was common for people not to own many things. They considered the tools that supported their lives as their possessions and used them carefully and for a long time.
It is said that each person today owns 1,000~1,500 things. The disposable culture has become the norm, and people have become less attached to each and every object.
Styles such as minimalist and ethical consumption are gaining attention. More and more people are questioning mass consumption and believe that using one thing carefully for a long time leads to spiritual fulfillment.
Production and consumption of goods are restricted, making the purchase of new goods impossible. Then, the existence of “public goods” appeared, and all things came to be used while being shared by the entire society. The concept of “own things” has disappeared, but people live with public things with a sense of attachment to them."
Caption-1 Emergence of Public Goods
As the problems of resource depletion and waste disposal have become more serious on a global scale, new production of goods has become severely restricted.
Consumers, therefore, are no longer able to purchase new goods.
A system was developed in which the entire society shares and uses what is already available, and the existence of “public goods” for people to share and use appeared. People borrow public goods when they need them in their daily lives and return them when they no longer need them.
Before long, the concept of “my things” disappeared from our surroundings.
Caption-2 Other half
When public goods first appeared, there was a noticeable problem of people treating utilities roughly and breaking them quickly.
This is where the “other half” sign came in.
When people use things, there is always a story behind it. The memories of the object and its user are stored in the database of public goods as the “Other Half.
By opening the “Other Half,” anyone can access the memories of the public goods and its past users.
Let's look at a student's experience of reading the Other Half of a public goods.
Caption-3 The experience of a ronin student
I am aiming for a difficult university to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor. However, I have failed the entrance exam many times, and this year is my last chance due to financial difficulties. Due to impatience and pressure, I have been unable to sleep for several months. One day, when he was unable to concentrate on his studies, he noticed a pencil case that should have been familiar to him. I've known this pencil box for a long time, since my exams are not over. Somehow, I held the device over the pencil box and accessed OTHER HALF.
Caption-4 Colorful traces of past users
I thought it was a relatively new pencil box, but there were already more than 50 OTHER HALVES left. Here are three stories that I liked.
Caption-5 Stories left in the Other Half (1)
Working people studying for qualifications at a café
She always seemed to spend her weekends at a café studying for certifications. Somewhere along the way, she had made it her goal to get into a university, but maybe studying is something that you keep doing for a longer, thinner period of time.
Caption-6 Stories left in the Other Half (2)
Painter who has devoted his life to painting.
I now know why there is blue paint on the lining of this pencil box. Every day, from morning till night, he was at the canvas, trying to put all the emotions in his heart into the painting. Perhaps he is still working on this painting today.
Caption-7 Stories Left in the Other Half (3)
Foreign Students Studying Japanese
At first, he didn't understand Japanese at all and felt lonely because he didn't fit in with his surroundings. However, I was encouraged by his hard work and dedication to studying together with his pencil box.
Caption-8 My “other half
Somehow I felt that I was extremely lonely, but that was not the case. This pencil case makes me feel the presence of all the people who have worked so hard. And I want to engrave my efforts as hard as everyone else. I am not a superstar, but I hope that one day I can give courage to the future owner of this pencil case.