Satoshi Hashimoto : See, Speak, Hear No Evil for Transhelvetica
Transhelvetica magazine has a habit of laying out the rules of social life and then asking whether they still hold. In its latest issue, the theme is framed around the proverb “See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil.” The question is how societies decide what counts as acceptable behavior, and how those standards shift.
The magazine begins with the simple premise that a functioning society needs laws, customs, and manners to hold people together. Breaking those agreements—taboos—can mean exclusion.
Yet the boundaries are not fixed. Food that once seemed ordinary may later be viewed as exploitative. Attitudes toward assisted dying show how views on life and death move over time. Even nudity draws different responses: welcome in a sauna, unwelcome in a public pool.
Transhelvetica also shows how rules depend on context. Language between family members may be tolerated but repeated on a public stage becomes controversial. What is considered polite in one culture may be seen as offensive in another. The magazine does not provide answers but points to the ongoing process of renegotiation.
To accompany the essay, illustrator Satoshi Hashimoto was invited to interpret the proverb visually for the cover.
The result is typical of Transhelvetica: a mix of cultural history, social commentary, and visual wit, all aimed at helping readers see the rules around them with fresh attention.
