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Tools for Self-Communication
This project was undertaken in response to a self appointed brief asking
to design a way for individuals to communicate with themselves. Previous
research into openness and user experience was implemented in the project.
As technology makes our world smaller, we find ourselves leading a semi-nomadic
lifestyle. The objects we bring with us become our personal and emotional
support, as the individuals whom we would otherwise rely on and consult
are not available.
As I have travelled around the world I have observed in airports and when
talking to people that they regularly find themselves away isolated having
to make big decisions and deal with stressful situations all alone without
the support that a family or a close friend would traditionally provide.
Individuals are increasingly making their own morel decisions without
the support of organised religion. With this new need for self-reliance
our objects provide us with little support. In order for an object to
be useful as a meditative or decision making crutch it should be open
enough to allow users to consider any issue important to them. The object
is the start point but does not control the direction of the activity.
While finding ways to communicate with myself I realised that the everyday
repetitive activities may provide such a platform. When we carry out basic
repetitive tasks such as ironing, our minds wander and the thoughts that
consume us come to the fore. I investigated this, conducting interviews
with people asking them what they think of when they carry out tasks such
as ironing, doing the washing up, or mowing the lawn. People reported
that they would undertake administrate tasks like sorting a to do list,
or working out how to fix a broken appliance, or if they were worried
about something they would think of that. In summery while our physical
selves are distracted we reorganise our thoughts, solve problems and reaffirm
our beliefs. This is a cathartic process much like meditation.
I set about designing repetitive tasks that would bring people to this
state or mental awareness, where people can sit and work their way through
a problem themselves if they need to. These tools for self-communication
provide us with opportunities to have a conversation with ourselves and,
in doing so, listen to ourselves.
Could these objects be a modern form of meditation?
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