Things to love about China: 29 of 100

Sleeping in Pods

Pods are in right now. I mean look at the iPod: You have all your music, movies, games, and pictures on one small little device. This is the way of the future, ladies and gents: one small device for all your stuff. Digital is in and actual is out, so who needs space?

Certainly not Dai Haifei, the 24-year-old Chinese architect who built a little pod-shaped house for himself. Dai was sick of high rent prices and was able to solve his problem with a little under a thousand dollars. Now he sleeps on the street corner, tucked in his away in his little pod-home. Not only is the pod low-on-rent but it also is high on efficiency. It runs entirely on solar power and is complete with a water tank and an electric lamp.

Another pod designed for big Asian populations is the capsule hotel. These frugal little rooms start at about five-bucks a night and can be a cost effective way to travel or live in Asia. Though, capsule hotels are found mostly in Japan right now (as Chinese authorities deem them a fire hazard), they are sure to spread around the globe as the world population continues to climb.

But pods aren’t limited to the financially-struggling. They are great for the business world too! Exhausted Hong Kong business persons are also now turning to pods for rest. A Hong Kong work day is long and stressful and the streets are bright and noisy at night. There is no time or place where anybody can get any shut-eye.

The solution? The Sleeping Pod. These are devices custom-designed for employees of big Chinese businesses who need to get a well deserved nap. Shopping Malls are installing them everywhere and busy employees are flocking down like sheep. Inside the pod the sounds of the city vanish and is replaced with some good old fashion Whale-songs.

With a growing world population, humans are going to have to learn to live with less space (and less stuff). Trust me, as an overseas teacher, I can’t afford to have very many things because every time I move somewhere it costs money to ship my stuff. Yet in a world of Kindles, and iPads, and digital-photo-frames people can get by with less material items and still be happy.

If some of you out there are claustrophobic: Get over it! Remember, our ancestors slept in caves and our predecessors will sleep in pods. In the overpopulated world of the future it will be the only way to get some privacy.