Spoons &Forks
“If I made
Spoons Forks & you wouldn’t be interested”
I hate guessing games - they always seem to leave you feeling, and usually looking, a little silly. It was, however, a guessing game that led to this book. I was never going to be able to guess my friend’s new job - he was sure of it. Politely joining in, in a game I knew I couldn’t win, I rather quickly decided to opt for the unlikely options; dog-groomer, lollipop man, late-night radio DJ and Balloon artist for example. Surprisingly, these were all incorrect. Eventually I gave up.
Triumphantly (he won the game) he told me he worked in a factory. “So what does the factory make?” I asked. “Electronics..” “Electronics?” I quizzed. “Circuit boards..” “For what?” I replied, with an expression that unwittingly let him know that I was disappointed that this guessing game had culminated in the mass-production of circuit boards.
“Materials such as glass & stainless steel are great but often more expensive� Male, Anonymous, 25 - 34.
"It's quick & there's no face-to-face interaction" (ordering online)
Female, Anonymous 25 - 34.
“I think they are just a tool to help people do what they’ve always done.”
Male, Anonymous, 18 - 24.
VILE
&
CRUDE Female, Anonymous, 18 - 24.
“I thought he’d be intimidated & think of them as a replacement for him, however they enhanced the experience for both of us.”
Female, Anonymous, 35 - 44.
Afterword. Documenting the daily routine at Electrastim, I quickly realised that this was much like any other factory. It designs, creates, tests and exports a product which is fuelled by the want of a consumer. Sitting within a niche in the sex toy market which involves passing a low-voltage current through the body, known as electro-stimulation, Electastim products have a unique modernist aesthetic. Crafted mostly from aluminium & acrylic these adult toys are a result of several manufacturing processes. As such, I became increasingly interested in the defined and separate workstations within the factory and the traces left by the employees carrying out their work. Despite the economic troubles of recent years the sex toy market is booming. To find out more I distributed a survey online which questioned participants on their sexual attitudes in general and more specifically in relation to sex toys. Selected responses appear throughout this book. Many saw adult toys as adding “a bit of spice to the bedroom” allowing people to “experience things and sensations they other otherwise couldn’t.” Some thought “they are simply vile and crude” whilst
others argued they promote a sexpositive attitude - adding that “sex toys have been a sort of ‘ice-breaker’, and have opened up a new level of communication between me and my husband”. Silicone, plastic and rubber all featured as common component materials and it was observed that consumers believed there are a “range of options from the cheap and cheerful to the mind-blowingly expensive.” One third of respondants state that they have never bought a sex toy whilst seventy-eight percent admitted to using some form of sexual accessory alone or with a partner. As the survey allowed anonymous submission the data collected is a good indicator of participants honest opinions, which on the whole varied, but leant in favour of sexual exploration and open attitudes. I find this encouraging as it means that whilst the British public may not be talking about it publicly, sex-positive & responisble attitudes prevail in a society which has made a trademark of being prudish. Lastly, I would like to thank everyone at Electrastim for their co-operation in the making of this project.
JackAttridge.co.uk Š2014, Jack Attridge.