I worked early today. In this morning's daily English session on Zoom, we discussed the so-called "over-tourism", and also how we could tell the foreigners our will of welcoming them by using several pictograms (also, maybe you would think this too severe but we also talked about how to face the difference between their etiquette and our culture's one). After that, we talked about several etiquettes we once had (for example, smoking cigarettes in public or drinking "one cup" of Japanese sake on a bullet train, etc.).
At 10 a.m., I started today's work. Probably you remember this... Recently, I read a Japanese book about modern democracy in Japan, which contained an interesting episode by Brian Eno. That book says that Eno told us that recent modern designers need to have a so-called "gardener" mind, different from an "architect" mind. It means that we need to observe how the city (the things in front of us) grows/improves bit by bit, instead of making it under our control totally/completely. This morning, I thought about this during my working time.
To observe the things that are actually proceeding on and on. In my case, once when I was young I didn't have such a "tolerant" mind enough so I just got so easily irritated with other things that were out of control. Of course, I'm not a designer but just a member of this city. However, this Brian Eno's quite impressive idea has taught me an important thing again certainly. About my life, like the trial of quitting alcohol, sometimes I should stay an observer of several things with steady trust.
Today, I saw someone like a friend of mine at my workplace, even though they were not that friend. That made me think about the thing I've written above. Once, when I was a heavy drinker, I had been completely alone by myself who was just waiting for death to come (even though I was just in my 30s). At that time, I could have never tried to rely on any connection in the outer world... Now, I am not alone. Within my brain, there must be several "junk" or "toy-like" ideas. Also, when I represent those inner gadgets, "you" enjoy them with your ocean-like tolerance... like a gardener?
