The squirm has been elevated to an art form these days. Just look to shows like The Office, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report, which pluck the awkwardest moments from the dark heart of human shame and bring them to light for all to enjoy.

To that end, we present Uncomfortable Conversations, a design exhibit we co-sponsored for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this weekend. Curated by the New York firm Design Glut, it compiles more than a dozen objects explicitly crafted to make you squirm, including housewares, furniture, jewelry, graphics, and at least one pair of soiled pants. So if, as motivational speaker Timothy Ferriss proclaims, "A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have," consider this show your ticket to the billionaire club. On view May 15 to 18

Meet Kevin Carpet. He swaddles himself in rugs, gets stepped on, and likes it. Reaaallly likes it. Designer Will Robison of Subports shares his personal story: "I first encountered Kevin seven years ago at a dive bar in the Lower East Side; he was rolled up in front of the bar. Not knowing someone was in the carpet, I stepped on top to place my order. As the bartender handed me my drinks, he informed me of the man underfoot. I definitely felt uncomfortable."

In Case, by Materious is a briefcase and a paper shredder in one. Designed for the "iniquitous business professional," it covertly turns incriminating documents into scraps in seconds. On backorder, we presume, due to popular demand.

Demian Repucci's Consumption Porcelain Dinnerware delivers global food consumption data to the supper table. This particular plate tells you the number of calories people consume daily, on average, in various countries, so every time you sit down to enjoy a meal, you're reminded how much fatter you are than the rest of the world.

This tells you how much fresh water countries use.

This one compares national obesity rates (in light blue) to malnourishment rates (in dark blue).

And this plots federal subsidies against food-serving recommendations from the FDA, revealing stark disparities between the two.

The Deterrent bag by Skinny Vinny's Vincent Lai seems harmless enough. But turned inside out, it transforms into a spiked-up weapon -- a cloth Pinhead, of sorts --sure to frighten off the baddies. Awkward? Try incredibly painful.

Likewise, Andrew Haarsager's Mind the Gap gloves are pigeon spikes for humans, designed to eliminate unwanted contact on the subway, in bars, wherever. Also useful for those who often find themselves in hand-to-hand combat with porcupines.

When you care enough to send the very best, send an Awkward Moment Card. Perfect for just about any compromising situation, the greeting card "helps you start the uncomfortable conversations you want to avoid," the designers say, "but really shouldn’t." By Design Glut

"A traditional handshake can sometimes be just too big a step for those entrenched in their dislike of the other," designer Dominic Wilcox says. Enter Pre-Handshake Handshake Device, a rubber-glove alternative to help people reconcile without actually having to touch each other. Wilcox plans to float his idea anywhere resentment reigns supreme, with special emphasis on shrink offices and embassies.

Do not act like this has never happened to you. Body Functions by Matthew Waldman of Nooka

This is Chi-Merica, by Paul Loebach, and here's his statement: "Furniture manufactured in America has a stand-off with furniture manufactured in China." So is he saying that furniture is a proxy for government? Or that both countries' furniture is the same? Or...? We don't get it. Uncomfortable!