Kendama vs. Iphone 6S

By Walt Williams — Hear that? The sound of clicking wood and laughing kids, engaged minds and improving coordination. The revolution is happening, the screens are being turned off, passive is passé. Movement is in, skills are improving, synapses are strengthening. Tune in, turn on, tama turn.

Wishful thinking? Sure, but why not? Somebody’s gotta bring it to the attention of the masses. Have you seen the groups of kids sitting in tight circles texting each other? When will we realize social media is an oxymoron? (it should be anti-social media). Kitty videos? Really? The Kardashians? What have we become? If an alien landed in America in 2016 would they be impressed with how advanced our society has become?

One dark day in 1925 John Logic Baird demonstrated the first televised silhouette image in motion signifying the end of creative learning as we know it. Less than 100 years later we have “progressed” to the point of staring passively at said images for an average of 8 hours per day, 3000 hours per year, 23,000 hours in a lifetime. Watching is passive, watching does not improve your life, watching lowers brainwaves, decreases critical thinking, shortens attention spans, reduces higher brain functions and releases endorphins which make us feel good which make us want to watch more.

We like to watch as Jerzy Kosinsky wrote in “Being There”, his 1970 novella homage to the simple life. And indeed we can now stream the movie “Being There” any time anywhere on any device. Our quest for passive leisure is always available at our fingertips. Reality not entertaining enough? Try virtual reality and you’ll never have to talk with a real person ever again. Eventually we will get to the barcalounger-and-personal-video-screen lifestyle depicted in “Wall-E”. Oh, wait, has that already happened?

Enter the Kendama. Japan’s simple wooden toy based on the 16^th century French toy the Biloquet, cousin of the Cup and Ball, the Balero the Diablo and the greatest named toy of all time, the Yo-Yo. Simple concept: string, ball, cup. Simple learning curve, play a lot and soon you are mastering the Tama Turn, the Lunar Tre, and the Cold Pizza. Strengthens hand eye coordination, improves balance, increases reflexes, builds visual motor integration and grows and strengthens synapses. Yes landing the Tama Turn also releases endorphins but these you earned and your brain knows the difference.

Cheap, fun, and you can join one of the many Kendama club like the one at Dunbar Elementary that was started with a student created petition to the administration. You can learn collectively, develop your growth mindset and connect with others. Get smarter, be more skilled, improve how you function, you might like it.

“It’s the ancient Japanese skill toy that may be addictive but keeps our children off video games. And hurray for that.” Reports Sonoma Old School Skateshop owner Robert Wilson who sells out of his stock of Kendamas about every two weeks and is just as worried as any parent about time spent on screens.

Will the revolution happen? Of course not, we love our screens, love the Kardashians, and we love to watch. Plus, once you hit a certain age, it’s so hard to catch that little ball on the stick.

Head to head comparison

Kendama

Cost: $17.95

Materials: Wood and string

Origin: Japan

Benefits: Improves coordination, balance, reflexes and brain function

Dangers: String might break, ball might hit your little sister, clicking wood noise might bother your parents watching TV.

Spokesperson: Kendama Joe, check him on You Tube.

IPhone 6S

$849 plus monthly $70 data plan, plus $8.99 Netflix, plus $9.Amazon Prime plus $5.99 Hulu plus…

Materials: Components from U.S. and Asia outsourced to Thailand, assembled in China

Origin: Cupertino

Benefits: Nice camera, blazing fast solitaire, SIRI

Dangers: Radiation, diminished attention span, arrogance

Spokesperson: Rick from IT, any teenage girl