Meditações - The relentlessness of the chronometer versus the sandglass's slow trickle

In an age that urges us to share our lives on social media, we are bombarded by images from all sides. The sheer mass of information, the speed at which content comes and goes, creates pressure to be immediately visible, instantly heard – whether we are an influencer, a brand, even an anonymous individual. Belonging to a category, the more distinct the better, has become a way of proclaiming who we are. A manifesto of the self. And so the world is divided into categories. Distinctive, radical categories. Opposites coexist, the middle ground is shrinking, two sides are emerging. On one, a vision that embraces the flux of modernity, champions militancy, experience at all cost and virtual communities; an outlook that invents new modes of consumption, and thrives on technology and hyperconnectivity. On the other, a longing to slow the hands on the clock, to take a step back and create a context for reflection and introspection, to re-engage with people and rediscover the materiality of things, inviting us to simply switch off for a while. The relentlessness of the chronometer versus the sandglass's slow trickle. What does this new deal tell us? That individuality is no longer a form of marginalisation. That we have the right, the duty even, to stand out from the crowd. We only need dare! Dare! Dare to express your personality, dare to show what sets you apart. Free yourself by daring! Believe in the power of daring to reinvent a changing world. Choose how you want to live your life. And the watch that goes with it, of course...

Gilles Lipovetsky