Simple Joys Of Fulfilling Work
So many have the same relationship with work as they do with marriage: “Oh boy, lets get on with the grind” “Gotta keep the boss/wife happy” and of course, the classic “Living the dream!”
So much of our existence is “just get through it”. Just gotta get to Friday, to the vacation, to the summer break, to 5 o’ clock.
Now, the reason many folks don’t take pride in their work is because they simply aren’t being fairly compensated for their valuable labor. Why should I bust my ass for the same money Steve is getting for slacking off?
That dynamic is one of the major themes of Perfect Days, Wim Wenders’ newest film. It stars Koji Yakusho, Aoi Yamada, and, the winner of 2024’s Most Punchable Face Award, Tokio Emoto. Tokio plays the titular “Steve”, aka Takashi, the brash, youthful assistant to Koji’s Hirayama.
When we meet Hirayama he’s woken up early, done his calisthenics, watered his plants, gotten dressed, walked outside (reveling in the morning air), buys a drink from the vending machine outside of his apartment, and leaves for work. A few minutes into his work, Takashi arrives, late. He off handling offers an apology about being late, before beginning to distractedly scrub the toilet of the bathroom stall that Hirayama already cleaned.
All the while looking at his phone.
Takashi and Hirayama are representative of two types of workers; one who is dedicated to their craft and one who isn’t
Yes, craft.
Anything that is inherently interested in making a statement about the world around them is, in my mind, a craft.
Hirayama is a master of his. He has his tools, his methodology, his indomitable desire to do his job as well as he possibly do it.
This mentality can also be applied to a craft that is much more, wrongly or rightly, respected than cleaning bathrooms.
Trần Anh Hùng’s The Taste Of Things stars Julite Binoche as Eugénie, a chef, and Benoît Magimel, a gourmand; who is one who seeks out pleasure through food and wine. This film, just like Wenders’ Perfect Days, frames it’s subjects performing their duties in a graceful and harmonious way. The care and mindfulness in which Eugénie places the ingredients into the various pots, roasting pans, and skillets are captured in a similar way as Wenders’ DP Franz Lustig captures his subject cleaning toilets, sinks, and mirrors.
Whether you’re cooking in a French villa in 1885, or cleaning bathrooms in 2023 Tokyo, work is work, this includes sex work. It should all be seen and respected and understood with same level of empathy, compassion, and curiosity.
