I remember back in the Movie “Lost in Translation” (a must-see for any Japan-loving Foreigner) there was a scene when Bill Murry landed in Japan and was rushed with business cards from all directions which he just shoved in his pocket with this bored (see left) expression. I had just learned in Japanese class the ‘proper exchange of Meshi” which explained Murry’s actions as being completely rude– this all made this scene just overtly more hallarious!

The whole ‘exchange of business cards’ thing in Japan is vastly different then here– There, In Japan, a business card represents status, place, and belonging. A mechanism to which one presents or shows a ‘group membership in something.’ However, there is just one massive flaw in the entire system….As Bill Murry expressed when being plastered with these cards: It’s all dreadfully boring, confusing, and mundane–A.K.A ‘not characteristic of modern reality.’ A hold over from a time long past– and it’s likely a new form of exchange needs to commence.

Enter in– to the rescue “POKEN”– A innovative new (wild) way of exchanging credentials that’s taking Japan by storm! Poken literally is your social business card. An awesome tool for connecting with new friends across online social networks (from the site). You see in today’s day and age– Our place of work only defines one aspect of our lives– Our connections with social networks are what really make up the other bulk of who we are and it’s that information that most young people would love to share with people the most. Perhaps it just convention, or lack of innovation– but sharing all that on a professional business card doesn’t make sense.

That’s why I want— nay… NEED a Poken! Why? Because A.) Sharing Info needs to be Fun! and B.) It’s not easy to exchange 5+ profiles with someone at once.

Exciting information, pictures, and everything about the poken can be found at this website: http://poken.jp/en

If you want a poken and want to poke me– join the Poken contest at JapanSoc.org and blog about why you too want a poken at: http://blog.japansoc.org/2009/04/12/japansoc-poken-contest/

Thanks

~J out

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