Hard work is a quality that we admire, but not in a society where it is expected.

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Japan is a representation of a modern society that struggles with its cultural history. A society dependent on the sacrifice of their citizens; one that disregards personal development at the expense of corporate success.

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Many Japanese workers can't see an end to the stress and physical pain from work. Suicide is one form of escape that many consider.

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The working man must pay his taxes, he must think about his future, be patient with the work, have diligence and prove his worth, before he can be rewarded with success, which is the key to finding happiness.

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My jewelry piece is a symbolic representation of the atrocities concealed in the beauty of modern Japanese society.

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- Derek Chiang

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