Anton Smit Sculpture Exhibition at Lourensford
Anton Smit Sculpture Exhibition at Lourensford
In a fast-paced world of AI, tech, strategy, analysis, planning and constant change, often predicated on its time saving abilities, we are forced to embrace this without questioning its impact on society. It goes without saying that our world has become one where solitude is being praised, JOMO is the new catch phrase and tech-connection above all else has become the new order.
The questions being put forward: Is this narrative serving society well, what is the actual impact not only on our personal relationships and actual work output and is human connection a luxury or not?
Busyness phenomenon
Being inundated with several media platforms, constant e-meetings in between actual work tasks, are just some of the reasons many claim to suffer from email fatigue and never have time for life-family balance. This is also the reason why emails are not as effective anymore as mode of communication and with dual optimisation in terms of SEO via all platforms being a necessary element in marketing and communication, people are bone tired. Why? Because they are incredibly busy on a variety of platforms, to reach an audience that they do not know and as the noise gets louder, they’re more driven to stand out. In the end, the thing that gets lost in translation, even if someone gets the point across via whichever platform, is actual human connection. People are so busy and yet, so incredibly alone.
Care-free and hosted luxury travel,
Because you’re traveling in a group and do not want the worry of what to do, where to go, how to get where you’re going, constantly thinking about random things like currency, accommodation, transfers, safe foods or spaces, and what you might be missing in an allocated time, takes away from an experience that should be dedicated to rest, joy, stillness and rather just taking in your surroundings.
Small group travel is ideal as you share a lot and experience the same things in different ways. This leads to discussion about life and business in general (as like-minded travellers) and forges social and business connections while your daily travel itinerary is taken care of by lux advisors and hosts, leaving you rested, feeling cared for and connected. Is this a luxury? For sure. Is it worth it? A great topic but from where we’re operating, we’ve not heard an inverse opinion regarding the freedom this type of luxury travel option brings.
Commit to commitments
The glorification of solitude might be a justification for people to hide from others, but why would they want to? Solitude, if connection and commitment is to reality, might be a good thing for a time. If solitude, however, means commitment to a screen that is the main cause of fatigue and a disrupted life and family balance, human connection might be the answer here. And it needs commitment. Committing to a commitment – yes, that means, get up, dress up, show up, even when it’s hard or scary. There’s no glory in fatigue or conversations with AI and even though it is being promoted, we are all still very part of humanity and therefore must be careful why and how we interact with what and who. Time is our biggest gift and sharing it with a media platform to abuse us to what end is not great. Not by a half measure. A way to mitigate this is to commit to what we do not know and know. We commit to what scares us and what doesn’t. Commit to humanity, to the human experience, to travel, to nature, to empathy, to listening, and to observing things around us without putting it all on a platform. Yes, it’s possible.
Images are from Lourensford, one of our stops on the Stellenbosch Wine Day. The gardens feature the Anton Smit Scuplture Exhibition. We are always in awe of his incredible talent. Lourensford hosts the ever popular Lourensford Market every Friday and Sunday and we’ll stop by with you if it works out!
