Comments on: The Wabi-sabi Experience

By: jasonsack

jasonsack — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:34:48 +0000

Hi Todd, I did read that piece. I see how the principle can be confused with an aesthetic, and it is an elusive perspective. Because wabi sabi is more understood as a thread than a discrete thought, it requires seeing things holistically and within a greater context of time and place. However, I don't feel this should restrain us from deeper investigation. Anything that challenges and pushes us to understand things in a new way is worth some attention and discussion. In the end, as you allude to, using language to describe anything's true essence is nothing more than the proverbial 'finger pointing at the moon.'

By: Todd

Todd — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:26:39 +0000

I also read a lot on the topic and used to think I understood wabi, until I came across this article:
http://www.touchingstone.com/Wabi_Sabi.html

Now I am not sure I understand wabi in the same way a Japanese understands it. I begin to suspect Western writers have unintensionally misrepresented/distorted this elusive Oriental concept by trying too hard to explain it.

By: Pedro

Pedro — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:09:22 +0000

Come on Zeus! I need more posts!

By: jasonsack

jasonsack — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:51:10 +0000

Oh – I have The Book of Tea already. Funny, I bought it because I was interested in tea, but it's about so much more isn't it?

By: jasonsack

jasonsack — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:19:45 +0000

Thanks Niko, I will definitely check them both out.

By: niko

niko — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:08:43 +0000

great post!

as a fellow wabi fan, may I offer my two fav books on the subject. perhaps they will help you further..

In praise of Shadows:

http://www.amazon.com/Praise-Shadows-Junichiro-...

In praise of tea:

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Tea-Stone-Bridge-Cla...

and of course the Kenya Hara book, designing design (but I guess everybody has already done that one by now, ha!)

By: Jason Sack

Jason Sack — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:21:23 +0000

Hey Tom, I love that testing/dev process analogy, hadn't thought of that. It definitely echoes the test/learn/refine process. That underscores one of the most significant issues that still plagues our industry; thinking about the results of our craft as evolving and adapting is a sea change from the traditional process. The long, difficult labor leading up to a climactic “birth” of a service/site/product just doesn't allow for the continued application of insights and creativity. Also why I favor an agile approach. Thanks for the comments.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:03:55 +0000

Wow, that's deep. I have always felt that good UX design was user centric but this would imply that it is also content centric. Which makes a ton of sense. If the content is what user is looking for than the two should get a long just fine.

This also reminds me of the eastern philosophy of cultivation of the rustic and imperfect. This may have some analogy with the testing/development process. Rather than getting everything exactly perfect, which is impossible anyway, get close and get it out there. You can always evolve it over time, just like nature does.

Or maybe I am over thinking things now. Either way, interesting perspective. Thanks.

By: Wabi-sabi experience « Run, Motherfucker, run

Wabi-sabi experience « Run, Motherfucker, run — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:17:59 +0000

[...] eu adicionei ele no TWISTER e ele postou uma parada nova hj no blog da Zeus. O link é esse: http://www.zeusjones.com/blog/2009/the-wabi-sabi-experience/ ‘ Eu li umas três vezes e ainda não entendi muito bem. Ele fala sobre uma parada chamada [...]