“Does it spark joy?” she asks with a lilting Japanese accent.
I try to answer for the sets of tailor-made suits hanging smartly in my wardrobe. I have not worn them in a decade, but the ghosts of Wall Street did - and creased their folded sleeves.
“They must go.” I whisper quietly, not to her.
Make a guess who she is.
Any clue?
She has not only sparked joy, but many intense debates, with arguments for and against her brand of minimalism.
She is Marie Kondo.
And this #zapfic entry into @felt.buzz's contest is just dedicated to her (or we can say, sparked by her). A week or so after Netflix show first came out, my boyfriend and I used to tease each other, "Does that spark joy?"
"You don't spark joy."
Apart from lighthearted banter are the more serious issues surrounding Marie Kondo's philosophy. Racism, classism, sexism - all the 'ism's - were thrown about in the flurry of discussions.
One I found especially thought-provoking was about a Medium article that spotlighted its connection with poverty.
Its basic premise is that Marie Kondo's teaching is applicable more to wealthy people as only rich people have the privilege to declutter, to "collect", to curate. Due to the innate fear of lack, poor people hoard and even if they don't reach dangerous levels of hoarding, they cannot just easily throw away perfectly functioning items which were bought by their hard earned money.
What are your thoughts on Marie Kondo? And I hope you've enjoyed the microfiction - written in present tense but with a slight haunting feel.
(P.S. Photo Source from Craig via Pexels)
Much love,
Joey ❤️
