The Vibrant Gadget That Took the World by Storm
October 8, 2024
Source: Reddit
Can you still recall when you were first given a pair of chopsticks? It was quite clumsy—as with two slim sticks that look incredible to handle, at least for many of us, it was that way. And then, as if a ray of sunshine of hope in a dark sea of worse and worse chopsticks, arrived these cheerful orange and yellow lumps of chopsticks from IKEA, and they had these little bumps on the edges to hold food with!!! When you brought these home and put them in the kitchen drawer, you recall the fun that a user could derive using a practical item that was a little goofy.
These chopsticks were first launched by IKEA in the early mid-2000s as part of the SMAL collection—the modern touch to the ancient utensil. These were not timeless wooden or lacquered chopsticks but bright ones and ideal for learners in a restaurant. Instead of tools, they were about—they were part of the postmodern cultural model where objects are not just for utilitarian purposes but to provide convenience and entertainment. This was possibly true since their simplicity appealed to individuals across society in different roles, from teaching children how to use chopsticks for the first time to providing adults with a convenient method for eating slippery noodles.
Joya learns how the dynamics of the Commensal switched and evolved with the passage of time and its relation to food and dining. Chopsticks prove a concept that used to be seen as far as practicality and aestheticism in items. While they are not as culturally significant as regular chopsticks, their existence is symbolic of a time when globalization happened and even the chopsticks we use became substantial again. As much as maintaining the shaky first attempts to use chopsticks reminds us of warm meals and the happiness that comes with acceptance, palettes as these sticks depict the same warm happy feeling of taking one bite at a time.