For about three years now, the number of foreigners visiting the Wind Phone has been increasing. Since last year, this trend has become even stronger. Looking at the blog, half of the visitors are from overseas, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan, China, New Zealand, and other countries. Why is this happening to many foreigners who are considered logical and rational?
When we lose a loved one, the sadness is universal, regardless of country or era. And the desire to connect with the person we lost, to convey our feelings, to reconnect, and to start over again is the same. If we were to cut off all connection because they passed away, all that would remain is sadness and despair. The belief that we can still connect with the deceased gives those left behind dreams and hope for the future. Connecting with the deceased in our thoughts is so important, and it makes us realize the weight and preciousness of life.
When people are grieving and their vitality is low, they tend to think with their emotions and act on their feelings rather than with logical reasoning. This is because they believe that there is little room for the “salvation” that human emotions seek in a structure built on flawless logic.
The Wind Phone allows us to see the invisible, hear the inaudible, connect anywhere because there are no phone lines… Even if these things are impossible, it is important to feel that we can have vague dreams and hopes, saying things like, “I wish it could be like this,” or “I know it’s impossible, but maybe there’s a way,” rather than thinking logically.
When considering life in the real world, being “ambiguous” and vague actually allows for more rational judgment and response. If this world were truly black or white, left or right, we wouldn’t suffer, grieve, or despair.
Even logical, rational foreigners, when they lose someone they love, still seek “salvation” in something. Perhaps they find that ‘salvation’ in the “ambiguous rationality” that Japanese people possess.
As of March this year, over 300 “Wind Phones” have been installed worldwide. I believe this fact speaks to the power of the “ambiguous rationality” inherent in the Wind Phone.
