The Art of Uselessness
For the Japanese version of this article, visit my blog.
日本語版記事はこちら。
The event ‘DESIGNART’ is currently being held in Tokyo. This year, I was asked to act as an official guide for the press tour. I interviewed the creators who were exhibiting at the venues we visited, and explained to the overseas press about the background of the creators and information about the city of Tokyo.
At the exhibition “Takram | Behind Product Design Projects” by the design innovation firm Takram, the members of foreign media became quite excited upon seeing the chair, specially designed for LOVOT. LOVOT by GROOVE X, Inc. is a popular robot created to live alongside families, much like a pet. When I explained this to the journalists, they became even more intrigued by LOVOT itself than by the chair. Particularly, when I described it as a “useless robot”―meant as a compliment―they found this terribly amusing and remarked “only in Japan”. I too thought this was indeed “only in Japan”―though in the most positive sense.
I had seen LOVOT before its official announcement, and its creator, Kaname Hayashi, had explained from the early stages of development that he was deliberately aiming to create a “useless robot”.
The Worth of Worthlessness
Typically, one might expect robots to be designed with utility in mind, packed with convenient functions to serve people. However, LOVOT is different―it possesses no practical family-serving functions whatsoever. Rather, it tends to seek attention at inconvenient moments, demanding to be held and even interrupting one’s work.
This unique approach becomes even more striking when compared with Western perspectives on robots. In Western science fiction films, robots are often portrayed as labour forces or weapons―essentially extensions of tools or slaves. In contrast, Japan’s iconic robots, such as Astro Boy and Doraemon, whilst certainly helping humans at times, are predominantly depicted as family members, often displaying qualities that aren’t necessarily practical.
Cultural anthropologists interpret this difference through Japan’s animistic cultural background. Since ancient times, Japanese people have believed that souls dwell within natural objects and tools, sometimes showing reverence even to a single stone in the mountains. This spirituality has enabled relationships with objects that transcend mere functionality and practicality.
The Culture of Uselessness
Japan has long embraced the concept of “useless use” (muyō no yō). The value of “empty space” in the tea ceremony and the Zen concept of “nothingness” find profound meaning in what might appear superficially pointless. Customs such as the memorial services for broken needles, born from the Shinto animistic worldview, exemplify this emotional relationship with objects. This spirituality continues to influence how we engage with modern technology.
To be “useless” could be interpreted as being liberated from the binary constraints of utility versus futility. In contemporary society, everything tends to be measured by standards of efficiency and productivity. However, what humans truly seek isn’t necessarily limited to practical value.
This paradox of the “useless robot” has manifested in various forms throughout Japan’s history of product development. Beginning with Sony’s AIBO, followed by PARO developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Sharp’s RoBoHoN, and Qoobo by Yukai Engineering Inc. currently showcasing its development process at DESIGNART―Japan has consistently maintained several therapeutic robots that have enjoyed steady popularity since AIBO’s introduction.
This tendency to prioritise emotional value over practical utility is closely linked to Japan’s “kawaii culture”, perhaps reflecting a uniquely Japanese sensibility that values emotional resonance over practical functionality.
The ability to maintain relationships with “useless” things suggests a certain psychological affluence―having the luxury to nurture connections beyond mere utility. This isn’t unique to Japanese people; many households worldwide keep pets alongside their families. What’s different in Japan, however, is how this affection extends to artificial creations.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s values have undergone significant changes. Amidst lives driven by efficiency and productivity, many have begun to realise how engaging with “useless” things can bring peace of mind. Even conversations with AI chatbots like ChatGPT are increasingly sought not just for practical purposes, but for emotional interaction.
This trend is particularly pronounced among younger generations. Generation Z and Generation Alpha naturally accept robots not merely as tools, but as entities capable of emotion. For them, “useless” robots like LOVOT might be simply ordinary companions.
The Future of Uselessness
Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University has been conducting influential research in this context since the late 1990s. His exploration of the essence of human nature suggests the importance of values beyond mere functionality.
The exhibition “Being — What if furniture had a life of its own?” by Nomura Co., Ltd., which we visited during the same DESIGNART tour, offered fascinating insights into the relationship between objects and humans. This exhibition presented furniture not merely as practical items, but as enriching presences in our lives.
The chair called “dohdoh”, resembling three cushions leaning against each other, might appear uncomfortable at first glance, but offers the joy of discovering one’s perfect sitting position by adjusting the angles between the cushions. “i i i”, a small table with a single long leg, requires careful consideration of its unique characteristics due to its instability―one must gently place objects whilst exploring its nature. The lighting installation “sorosoro” stands vertically when its cord is pulled, gradually illuminating as if awakening, and when tilted, collapses as though relaxing, slowly dimming its light.
The concept that “furniture spends as much time unused as it does being used―what if furniture, like humans, could alternate between being industrious and taking it easy?” embodies the Japanese concept of “beneficial inconvenience”. Whilst such concepts aren’t entirely foreign to the West, this meticulous attention to subtle details represents one of Japan’s distinctive strengths.
Western society faces various challenges―spiritual exhaustion from efficiency-first mindsets, the dehumanisation of technology, and deepening solitude. Japan’s perspective on robots might offer a new viewpoint in addressing these issues. A culture that acknowledges the value of “uselessness” could serve as a quiet yet powerful antithesis to our productivity-obsessed modern society.
Indeed, recent years have seen growing Western interest in spiritual richness and sustainability, with movements like “slow living” and “minimalism” gaining attention. In this context, the Japanese concept of “useless use” and entities like LOVOT are beginning to be recognised as pioneering examples of a new relationship between technology and humanity.
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into our lives, its evolution needn’t be limited to efficiency and labour-saving. The “value of uselessness” embodied by LOVOT and similar innovations holds profound contemporary significance in our quest for new forms of enrichment beyond efficiency and convenience. This transcends being merely an “Only in Japan” curiosity; it potentially offers an answer to the global challenge of harmonising technology and humanity in the Post-Human Centric era.
Supplementary note:
The Golem is often cited as the archetypal predecessor of Western robots. TThe Golem, brought to life by inscribing the Hebrew word for “truth” on its forehead, was created to protect the Jewish community. However, the tale also served as a cautionary message about humans venturing into the realm of creation, as the Golem could become dangerous if control was lost. Depicted as a perfect servant obedient to its master, this dichotomous relationship between “creator and creation” or “master and servant” became the archetypal framework for subsequent Western narratives about artificial life and robots. Whether due to this dichotomy or not, Western approaches to robots often display elements of violence. For instance, Boston Dynamics’ demonstration videos, showing developers kicking and tripping their robots in what appears to suggest “it’s acceptable because they aren’t human”, often provoke strong reactions of discomfort amongst Japanese viewers, with some finding such treatment deeply disturbing.]
