Which is worse, losing your technical edge, or losing your technical edge and pretending you didn't?
When I was young, "Made in Japan" implied useless, cheap, junky. I'm thrilled that it now means quite the opposite. Excellence is a good thing, and I see no reason to mourn when other countries compete at our level or even best us in some areas. A little competition keeps us on our toes.
But why does it take innovations from Japan so long to cross the Pacific?
When Janet lived and worked in Japan for a year, she noted that home computers were much less common than in America. I was surprised this was the case for such an advanced nation, but then again, most people don't have clothes dryers there, either. What did surprise me was to learn that in this Japan was not behind America, but ahead. Most Japanese did not need personal computers because they did nearly everything they wanted to on their mobile phones. They accessed the Internet; they paid their bills; they read and composed their e-mails. This was in 2005, years before smartphones took America by storm.
Then there were the toilets. Ever since we visited Janet in Japan I have been wondering why Home Depot doesn't sell Japanese toilets. Now, finally, the National Association of Home Builders includes one in this years showcase home. But why does this review from the Orlando Sentinel pretend it's a new, American invention?
I cannot get the toilet in the master bath out of my mind. Kohler clearly has some smart woman on its design team, because, ladies, this commode is for you.
At the touch of a wall-mounted LED pad that looks like an iPhone, you can auto-magically raise and lower the lid without touching it. That right there is better than a European vacation. And you can heat the seat (men, you will never understand), and play music. Not only that, this smart piece of plumbing sprays, dries and has adjustable flushing. From what I can tell, this toilet of tomorrow does everything but send a urine sample to the lab.
I"m glad American companies are catching on. But what took them so long? And why do we pretend things are new and amazing when they've been around elsewhere for years?
