Chindogu, the art of un-useless things

Absurd Thinking:

Chindogu

The art of Chindōgu (珍道具) was created by Japanese artist/engineer Kenji Kawakami in the 1990s. The Chindōgu are not really that useful, but not completely useless. Kawakami described these seemingly ingenious inventions as "un-useless." The term Chindōgu is derived from the combination of Chin (珍), meaning "strange" or "odd," and dōgu (道具), meaning "tool" or "device." However, Chindōgu is much more than the combination of words and ideas, it is an art and philosophy.

10 Tenets of Chindogu

What qualifies an object to be a Chindōgu? "Every Chindōgu is an almost useless object, but not every almost useless object is a Chindōgu." When you first see it, a Chindōgu appear to be somewhat logical and pragmatic. When you've had the chance to think about it, you realize that it is not an improvement at all from the original way of doing things. In order to join the ranks of the truly almost useless, the object must meet strict criteria, the ten tenets of Chindōgu:

  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." If you end up using your invention on the regular, you have failed.
  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." No thought experiments allowed.
  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." Build your invention free from the constraints of utility or cultural expectations.
  4. Chindogu are tools for everyday life. "Chindogu are a form of nonverbal communication understandable to everyone, everywhere. Specialised or technical inventions, like a three handled 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." Everyone everywhere must be able to understand how it works without any special technical or professional background info.
  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" Finally, something in your life that you just can't turn into a side hustle.
  6. Humor must not be the sole reason for creating chindogu. "The creation of Chindogu is fundamentally a problem-solving activity. Humor 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." Creating an elaborate way to solve a tiny problem is just funny. Roll with it.
  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." This is not the place for your clever commentary on the dumpster fire that is the current state of the world. As the tenet makes clear: "Make them instead with the best intentions."
  8. Chindogu are never taboo. "The International Chindogu Society has established certain standards of social decency. Cheap sexual innuendo, humor of a vulgar nature, and sick or cruel jokes that debase the sanctity of living things are not allowed." If you demand sexual innuendo, cruel jokes and sick humor, the International Chindogu Society would ask that you find it literally anywhere else on the internet. That's not chindogu's jam.
  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." Consider chindogu the openest of open source. They're meant to be shared and delighted in, not owned and collected.
  10. Chindogu are without prejudice. "Chindogu must never favor 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." Race, religion, gender, age, ability — none of these matter to chindogu. These inventions should be equally (almost) useless to everyone who sees them.

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