Have you ever come across posts like these online: "Like and share for good luck." No matter the cultural or religious background of the image, there tends to be a significant amount of likes and shares. We can't help but wonder, do people really believe that such actions will bring them good luck?
Thus, we conducted research from the perspective of the history of beliefs and the psychological motivations behind people's practices of praying for blessings. We also initiated a series of interviews and discussions to understand people's views on this phenomenon.
Praying for blessings, whether out of fear or desire, is inevitable even when trying hard, as there are things we cannot control, and feelings of anxiety are unavoidable. What you believe in actually doesn't matter; whether you pray to God, Buddha, or Allah (I hope this sentence isn't offensive to those with religious beliefs), you can even pray to a chair if you wish. What's important is the comfort and hope that the act of "praying for blessings" itself brings to people.
Lastly, based on the research, we've identified our main design goals: In today's society, which values efficiency, how can we help people obtain psychological comfort through low-effort, low-time-cost small actions that carry a sense of ritual?
This is Wishing Well, a new age wishing well; no need to throw coins, and no water is required. All you need is to calm down and give yourself a minute away from anxiety, worries, fears, bad interpersonal relationships, desires, ambitious goals, and unrequited love. Make a wish, then press the corresponding button, just like throwing a coin into a wishing well. You know that "spring" won't give you answers, just like liking and sharing won't actually bring good luck, but I hope you have your own spring. (Note: The words for "spring" and "wishing well" are the same in Chinese. This is a wishing well; there is nothing else. I just wish you well.
The main body of the wishing well consists of an electronic screen and external devices, which can be randomly placed indoors or outdoors on the ground. We hope passersby will see it and experience it, like a little surprise in life that brings people psychological comfort. We categorize wishes into four types: safety and health, education and career, emotions and relationships, and wealth. Users can choose the category of their wish and then press the corresponding button to trigger the interactive mechanism. The "water" surface of the "spring" will change. We use Touch Designer, which is connected to Arduino, for the button parts to trigger interaction. There will be BGM plus a display screen without voice-over.
