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A review by elaichipod
The Garden of Time by J.G. Ballard
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Much like many other recent readers of this short story, I also read this after learning that it was the inspiration and theme of the 2024 Met Gala. I read "The Garden of Time" after hearing from some celebrities talk about their outfits and how they relate to the theme. From the interviews, I thought the story was solely about growth and decay, life and death, and sustainability. The florals, fabric, and the passage of time seemed to be the very essence of this story. However, I think the largest and most important message was completely left out: the fall of the aristocracy. Axel and his wife are ultimately unable to use their wealth and resources to protect themselves from their downfall. Nonetheless, in the end, Axel and his wife appear as statues protected by a thicket, while all their material belongings and villa have been sacked. The short story is beautiful and obviously a social commentary, but that aspect seemed to fall on deaf ears in practice this past Monday and for the past couple months. Or maybe the weaponized incompetence is deliberate and we're just meant to be the sheep falling for it every time.
While 36,000 Palestinians have died and countless bloodlines have been mercilessly erased, Israel claims that it will continue military attacks if the US pauses sending more weapons. We already know that Israel commits the most destruction and death when Americans are distracted by events such as the Superbowl and Met Gala. I've been hearing the word dystopian used a lot recently, but how else would you describe this political and social climate?
As I'm writing this, I'm seeing a wave of netizens blocking celebrities on social media to reduce their ad revenue and expose these clutches of immorality and ignorance. That one tiktoker's "let them eat cake" video was appalling. If we can overtly see that our own governmental bodies are sell-outs and supporting a genocide, then of course the majority of celebrities (who are business people at the end of the day) are, as well. Now, I only wonder if the images of these celebrities, socialites, and so-called "philanthropists" will be as perfectly preserved and conserved as Axel and his wife.
Beautiful exotics may distract and dream away the proletarian hordes temporarily, but for how long will this cycle continue?
While 36,000 Palestinians have died and countless bloodlines have been mercilessly erased, Israel claims that it will continue military attacks if the US pauses sending more weapons. We already know that Israel commits the most destruction and death when Americans are distracted by events such as the Superbowl and Met Gala. I've been hearing the word dystopian used a lot recently, but how else would you describe this political and social climate?
As I'm writing this, I'm seeing a wave of netizens blocking celebrities on social media to reduce their ad revenue and expose these clutches of immorality and ignorance. That one tiktoker's "let them eat cake" video was appalling. If we can overtly see that our own governmental bodies are sell-outs and supporting a genocide, then of course the majority of celebrities (who are business people at the end of the day) are, as well. Now, I only wonder if the images of these celebrities, socialites, and so-called "philanthropists" will be as perfectly preserved and conserved as Axel and his wife.
Beautiful exotics may distract and dream away the proletarian hordes temporarily, but for how long will this cycle continue?