Core77

Living in a World of Talismans

By Michael DiTullo - November 28, 2011

in Tech | UX

A talisman is a physical object that purports powers and meaning beyond the physical. Humans have been making talismans for centuries, we are wired to give physical objects meaning. Take for example an engagement ring. A band of metal with a polished stone mounted on it. It has no hard drive, no 4g connection, no moving parts and yet I can't think of another object that has a higher amount of meaning per ounce. It is the physical embodiment of a promise, of a future together. It embodies all the complexities of love, trust and hope in a single object. It is a tribal indicator to all who see it and a reminder to the wearer. Few gestures mean more than putting on an engagement ring.

I believe we have the ability to infuse a measured amount of meaning into more of the things we use everyday. We live in a world of products. Most people don't a own Picasso, nor do they live in a Frank Lloyd Wight home. They do however own watches, wear shoes, use toothbrushes and interact with their phones countless times per day. What would happen if we were able to put one tenth of the meaning from that engagement ring into the most common objects around us? How would that shift our behaviors? How can we expand our process for innovation to include meaning?

A digital device is also a talisman. It's physicality is imbued with a sense that this thing, this hunk of material, is actually a window into another world. It is a connection to everyone I know, and have yet to know, a gateway and filter to the world beyond me. A great digital device makes this known before you even turn it on. Our most treasured devices connect with us on an emotional level, even when they are just sitting on our nightstand charging. There is not a robust functional argument for these products to be made of metal and glass, but they are not really products at all. They are talismans.

All sketches by Michael DiTullo.

o
1

Favorite This
Q
3

Comment

Comments

paul

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Disposable talisman or perhaps just a tool that gets upgraded when you do.

This points to a generational/age divide, where folks on one side see people buying and using gadgets (in their words) without understanding the use and significance. Mobile phones, now that they do more than voice, are how people connect to each other. People of a certain age may not appreciate texting or talking on a phone in the same way but it allows people to connect with people far away as easy as if they were nearby.

Maybe OT but where one generation might put value in a wristwatch where the case alone requires 150 separate steps, another would rather have one that allows them to communicate with that many people. Is it the object as signifier that has value or the things it allows the owner to do? Talisman or tool?
!Report as spam
David

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

As a designer, it would be nice to think every object has meaning but in reality, Freud put it best, a cigar is just a cigar.

Also, the people who "love" their digital devices the most are the ones who will throw it away and are first in line when something "new" is offered 6 months later. Is there such a thing called the disposable talsiman?
!Report as spam
pjprdesign

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Great piece... Thanks Michael.

!Report as spam