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The Garden of Time
7 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1962
28 people are currently reading
5004 people want to read
About the author
J.G. Ballard
469 books4,074 followersJames Graham "J. G." Ballard (15 November 1930 – 19 April 2009) was an English novelist, short story writer, and essayist. Ballard came to be associated with the New Wave of science fiction early in his career with apocalyptic (or post-apocalyptic) novels such as The Drowned World (1962), The Burning World (1964), and The Crystal World (1966). In the late 1960s and early 1970s Ballard focused on an eclectic variety of short stories (or "condensed novels") such as The Atrocity Exhibition (1970), which drew closer comparison with the work of postmodernist writers such as William S. Burroughs. In 1973 the highly controversial novel Crash was published, a story about symphorophilia and car crash fetishism; the protagonist becomes sexually aroused by staging and participating in real car crashes. The story was later adapted into a film of the same name by Canadian director David Cronenberg.
While many of Ballard's stories are thematically and narratively unusual, he is perhaps best known for his relatively conventional war novel, Empire of the Sun (1984), a semi-autobiographical account of a young boy's experiences in Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War as it came to be occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army. Described as "The best British novel about the Second World War" by The Guardian, the story was adapted into a 1987 film by Steven Spielberg.
The literary distinctiveness of Ballard's work has given rise to the adjective "Ballardian", defined by the Collins English Dictionary as "resembling or suggestive of the conditions described in J. G. Ballard's novels and stories, especially dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes and the psychological effects of technological, social or environmental developments." The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry describes Ballard's work as being occupied with "eros, thanatos, mass media and emergent technologies".
While many of Ballard's stories are thematically and narratively unusual, he is perhaps best known for his relatively conventional war novel, Empire of the Sun (1984), a semi-autobiographical account of a young boy's experiences in Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War as it came to be occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army. Described as "The best British novel about the Second World War" by The Guardian, the story was adapted into a 1987 film by Steven Spielberg.
The literary distinctiveness of Ballard's work has given rise to the adjective "Ballardian", defined by the Collins English Dictionary as "resembling or suggestive of the conditions described in J. G. Ballard's novels and stories, especially dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes and the psychological effects of technological, social or environmental developments." The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry describes Ballard's work as being occupied with "eros, thanatos, mass media and emergent technologies".
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
May 7, 2024
read for the met gala… the irony of this being about rich people in their house with access to things others don’t have while there’s a war going on outside the walls is absolutely not lost upon me.
May 6, 2024
Edit: The Met Gala is today so I reread this and wanted to give my (obviously not professional, or qualified) opinion on this and why I think it's an interesting dress code choice!
In a broader thematic sense, Ballard's "The Garden of Time" is a critique on the upper-class, and how they use exorbitant displays of wealth through beautiful things as a facade against the indiscriminate and inevitable forces of time. In the story, both wealthy main characters are faced with an impending doom that they helplessly delay (and otherwise ignore) through the destruction of very ornate, beautiful flowers. By the end of the story, (mild spoiler warning) not only are the flowers no more, but the elaborate luxuries each MC indulges in through their days have lost their beauty and functionality through age. Every beautiful and opulent thing has rusted, the delay of time a hopeless and wasteful endeavour against the couples' fate.
At its core, the Met Gala is almost contradictory to this story. The very model of upholding the costume institute and its costly preservation of fabric (one of the most delicate mediums of all) art is accomplished by having brands/ the wealthiest of the wealthy pay to exhibit their highly expensive, elaborate, beautiful fashions. The irony is not lost to me that in time, they too, as well as their beautiful gowns and suits, will eventually have to meet the inevitable destructions of time, just as we will. Yet looking past this element of contradiction, I think that the choice is fitting; the exhibit's theme of "Sleeping Beauties" examines how delicate and temporary fashion is, and will always be, which in part is what makes it beautiful, which very directly correlates to the story's themes of the passage of time and beauty. Additionally, the natural elements incorporated into the exhibit can be symbolized in the story's use of nature, first as a resource carelessly and frivously spent by the wealthy (the time flowers), as well as a representation of time (hills/ horizon as markers of the crowd's progression, and the cyclical process of renewal and death. I think this is especially important because the takeaway of the theme/ dresscode is not just florals/ nature, but also ties these natural beauties with time and destruction. Ultimately, there are so many elements that tie into the exhibit and the story is worth reading and forming your own thoughts on! I'm so excited to see what everyone does (even though it's clear most celebs don't study up on the dress code cough cough 2019 camp).
Original Review: I read this short story in preparation of this year’s Met Gala, which is themed after the title and wow am I thrilled/ ecstatic as a fashion and story lover. I’ve never heard of Ballard, but his prose is stunningly detailed and layered in the most satisfying way. In 3 short pages, I felt so captivated by the tiny yet expansive world he builds. I’m so excited to see what people do with this as the dress code, and desperately hope people actually read this story and reference it within their outfits rather than pulling from the obvious garden-aesthetic thing. What a delight!!
In a broader thematic sense, Ballard's "The Garden of Time" is a critique on the upper-class, and how they use exorbitant displays of wealth through beautiful things as a facade against the indiscriminate and inevitable forces of time. In the story, both wealthy main characters are faced with an impending doom that they helplessly delay (and otherwise ignore) through the destruction of very ornate, beautiful flowers. By the end of the story, (mild spoiler warning) not only are the flowers no more, but the elaborate luxuries each MC indulges in through their days have lost their beauty and functionality through age. Every beautiful and opulent thing has rusted, the delay of time a hopeless and wasteful endeavour against the couples' fate.
At its core, the Met Gala is almost contradictory to this story. The very model of upholding the costume institute and its costly preservation of fabric (one of the most delicate mediums of all) art is accomplished by having brands/ the wealthiest of the wealthy pay to exhibit their highly expensive, elaborate, beautiful fashions. The irony is not lost to me that in time, they too, as well as their beautiful gowns and suits, will eventually have to meet the inevitable destructions of time, just as we will. Yet looking past this element of contradiction, I think that the choice is fitting; the exhibit's theme of "Sleeping Beauties" examines how delicate and temporary fashion is, and will always be, which in part is what makes it beautiful, which very directly correlates to the story's themes of the passage of time and beauty. Additionally, the natural elements incorporated into the exhibit can be symbolized in the story's use of nature, first as a resource carelessly and frivously spent by the wealthy (the time flowers), as well as a representation of time (hills/ horizon as markers of the crowd's progression, and the cyclical process of renewal and death. I think this is especially important because the takeaway of the theme/ dresscode is not just florals/ nature, but also ties these natural beauties with time and destruction. Ultimately, there are so many elements that tie into the exhibit and the story is worth reading and forming your own thoughts on! I'm so excited to see what everyone does (even though it's clear most celebs don't study up on the dress code cough cough 2019 camp).
Original Review: I read this short story in preparation of this year’s Met Gala, which is themed after the title and wow am I thrilled/ ecstatic as a fashion and story lover. I’ve never heard of Ballard, but his prose is stunningly detailed and layered in the most satisfying way. In 3 short pages, I felt so captivated by the tiny yet expansive world he builds. I’m so excited to see what people do with this as the dress code, and desperately hope people actually read this story and reference it within their outfits rather than pulling from the obvious garden-aesthetic thing. What a delight!!
May 7, 2024
I found this via the theme of the 2024 Met Gala and let me tell you I was intrigued
Review: Ugh loved this, the Met Gala outfits tho? there was more potential for sure
Review: Ugh loved this, the Met Gala outfits tho? there was more potential for sure
May 7, 2024
the met gala used this short story as inspiration for this year's theme, and i found the heavy sarcasm of it all to be funny in a very sad way
the story is about a count living in his beautifully ornated villa with his wife, who plays rondos and minuets as the idyllic days pass by while he admires his garden of time-flowers, which, when plucked, are able to turn back time - but over the high wall the threat of an enormous army looms near
despite being a tale about the inevitability of death and the fall of aristocracy, the big swarm of people outside the walls while the couple parades around a mansion that is by all accounts a curated museum in fine brocades is hitting very close to home
while the people at the met gala have their fancy strolls on the staircase there's a pro palestine protest going on outside the met, and there's a constant attack on rafah where 1.7 million people are being bombed and refused aid by israel - the uncanny feeling the story elicits even sixty years after it was written just proves that time and time again the world spins round but never goes forwards
if you wish to help here you can find some vetted gofundme's to help people cross the rafah border into egypt and here you can do your daily clicks where the ad revenue generated goes to unrwa
the story is about a count living in his beautifully ornated villa with his wife, who plays rondos and minuets as the idyllic days pass by while he admires his garden of time-flowers, which, when plucked, are able to turn back time - but over the high wall the threat of an enormous army looms near
despite being a tale about the inevitability of death and the fall of aristocracy, the big swarm of people outside the walls while the couple parades around a mansion that is by all accounts a curated museum in fine brocades is hitting very close to home
while the people at the met gala have their fancy strolls on the staircase there's a pro palestine protest going on outside the met, and there's a constant attack on rafah where 1.7 million people are being bombed and refused aid by israel - the uncanny feeling the story elicits even sixty years after it was written just proves that time and time again the world spins round but never goes forwards
if you wish to help here you can find some vetted gofundme's to help people cross the rafah border into egypt and here you can do your daily clicks where the ad revenue generated goes to unrwa
November 2, 2020
“The Garden of Time” by Ballard, J.G.
Captivating tale that gives no context other than the immediate unfolding of an original narrative that is both romantic, nostalgic, haunting, apocalyptic, nightmarish, and redemptive.
Some stories ‘stay with you’ long after they’ve been read. This is one of them, so I am giving this short story a rare 4 star rating . ****
…
Captivating tale that gives no context other than the immediate unfolding of an original narrative that is both romantic, nostalgic, haunting, apocalyptic, nightmarish, and redemptive.
Some stories ‘stay with you’ long after they’ve been read. This is one of them, so I am giving this short story a rare 4 star rating . ****
…
May 8, 2024
"The Garden of Time" by J. G. Ballard (1962) is a short story of speculative fiction. It is about an elegant couple living in a beautiful villa. They have a garden of crystal time flowers. When each flower is plucked, it deliquesces (melts) from a solid to a liquid and then disappears. When that happens, time reverses. A mob is coming towards them, and they use the flowers to hold back the mob as long as possible.
"The Garden of Time" is about the evolution of time and human history through time. Time marches on. Money and beauty can not hold back destruction nor death forever.
This story is free to download and read, which I did to better understand the 2024 Met Gala's theme. Ballard also wrote Empire of the Sun in 1984, which was the source material for the Spielberg movie of the same name. I am inspired to read more of his work.
"The Garden of Time" is about the evolution of time and human history through time. Time marches on. Money and beauty can not hold back destruction nor death forever.
This story is free to download and read, which I did to better understand the 2024 Met Gala's theme. Ballard also wrote Empire of the Sun in 1984, which was the source material for the Spielberg movie of the same name. I am inspired to read more of his work.
May 28, 2024
I knew this was a must-read after seeing Jinwoo Park's TikTok discussing this short story and the irony of it being chosen this year as the Met Gala theme.
Similar to what Jinwoo spoke about in their video, I highly doubt many celebrities/stylists took the 10-15 minutes to read this short story in preparation for the event theme. It was eerie to read and it being chosen as the 2024 Met Gala theme feels like a fuck you from the elite.
I highly recommend this short story, it is already one of my favourites!
Similar to what Jinwoo spoke about in their video, I highly doubt many celebrities/stylists took the 10-15 minutes to read this short story in preparation for the event theme. It was eerie to read and it being chosen as the 2024 Met Gala theme feels like a fuck you from the elite.
I highly recommend this short story, it is already one of my favourites!
May 18, 2024
When the living are suffering why will you dress up in your atrocious outfits and act like a fool ?
Instead of wasting 75,000$/ ticket on attending a museum, consider donating and providing relief to places needed.
Instead of wasting 75,000$/ ticket on attending a museum, consider donating and providing relief to places needed.
May 4, 2024
Like many others, I learnt about this story through the upcoming Met Gala. Despite its length, it opens up a discussion on various fronts, like ecocriticism and socioeconomic hierarchies. Given its selection as a theme for an event populated by monied celebrities promoting temporarily trending fashion pieces, Ballard's story will either reveal the superficiality of the Gala or cause a re-examination.
May 9, 2024
kind of cheeky of me to put this on as it only took me 10 mins to read. But i wanted to read the story that this year’s met gala was based on. Hilariously ironic that a story about the destruction of aristocratic beauty has inspired the fashion event of the year which is essentially a showcase of lavishness against a backdrop of war and destruction in the global political climate. Much to think about….
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August 31, 2024بينما تُهدد حشود فوضوية بالاجتياح على ملاذ الكونت وزوجته في قصرهما المعزول، يقوم الكونت بقطفِ "زنابق الزمن" واحدةً تلو الأخرى لتأخير الاقتحام الحتمي، حيثُ أنَّ كُلّ زهرة تُبطئ تقدُّم الحشود، مما يمنح الزوجين المزيد من الوقت للاستمتاع برغدِ عيشهما. ولكن ماذا يحدث عندما يوشِك محصول الزهور على النفاذ؟
تُكتب القصة بأسلوبٍ سينمائي بارع الجمال، ولا عجب، فالمؤلف "بالارد" ممن لم يفلحوا في فن الرسمِ رغم حسهم الفني، فباتوا يرسمون بالقلمِ والكلمة عوضًا عن الفرشاة والألوان، ليحوّل كل مشهدٍ إلى تحفةٍ خلابة يسهُل تصورها والتمتع بتفاصيلها.
إنَّ المرءَ ليعجب ويستهجن أنَّ محفلًا للأثرياء يُشجِّع محبي الموضة على صُنع زيٍّ يُكلف الملايين لليلةٍ واحدة جعل من هذه القصة هدفًا للاستلهام، وأن أغلب مَن مِن محيط المحفل هذا قرروا أن هذه القصة تُظهر الأغنياء بؤساء ضعفاء هدفًا للهجوم الهمجي، بينما الجموع الغاضبة هي جماعات متطرفة إرهابية لا تحب السعادة ولا السلام ولا الحياة.
لستُ أنكر عليهم حقهم في تحليل القصة كيفما شاءوا، لكن لا يمنع أن أراهُ مثيرًا للسخرية أنَّ هذا التحليل قادم من القصر نفسهُ، من الكونت الذي يعرف تمامَ المعرفةِ أنَّه في مأمنٍ مِن قلقِ الماديات، ومن زوجته بفستانها البهّي وترفها البالغ حده، من وسطِ الآلات الموسيقية الباهظة والأثاث العريق والكتب النادرة، حيثُ تُرى الحياة مِن خلالِ عدسةٍ لامعة تخدمك فتُعميك عن كل ما يُنغّص متعةَ العيش. وأنهم لو كانوا في الطرف الآخر من الصورة، لرأوها بعينِ الحق، بعيدًا عن وضع "المسكنة" و"هم فجأة هجموا علي أنا ما عملت حاجة".
أما من صابهُ أن يرى العالم كما هو، أو وصلَ به أن ساء بصره، فلهُ أن يراها بعدةِ أشكال، على أنها رمزية للموت، وأنك مهما بلغت مبلغك فلا مهرب من الأجل المحتوم. أو أنَّ الإنسان يطيبُ له أن يُدمر الأرض كي يصنع لنفسهِ ما يرفع مِن مُستوى عيشه. أو السيناريو الذي أُفضِّل، حُمِّلت الطبقة العاملة و عامة الناس ما لا تطيق من ترف الأغنياء وبذخهم على حساب معاناتهم، ولمّا لم تُمد أيُّ يد عون، بلغَ السيلُ الزُّبَى، وقرروا أن يكونوا تلك اليد لأنفسهم. فالحقوقُ لا تُطلب، بل تُنتزع.
أجدُ ذلك أكثر الاحتمالات أقرب للصحة (وليس اتفاق التفسير مع رأيّ الكاتب بتقليلٍ مِن قيمة بقية التفسيرات). والعلامات الواضحة كثيرة، لكن مما أثار اهتمامي:
"vast throng of people, men and women, interspersed with a few soldiers in ragged uniforms."
أيّ جماعة لا هوية رسمية واضحة لهم، فيبدون لي أقرب لمجموعة تجمعهم المعاناة ذاتها مِن أن يكونوا جهة متطرفة أو جيش ديكتاتوري، والكونت وزوجته على أنهم مِمن يحاولون يائسين إطالة قبضتهم على السلطة والبذخ فيما تتحول "الطبقات السفلى" إلى حركة ذات وعيٍ جماعي.
كما أنَّ كونَ القصر حوِّط بأرضٍ فارغة، مما يزيد من مهابة المكان، ويزيد من الفروقات الطبقية، لهو علامةٌ أخرى
"The plain surrounded the house and all sides, its drab emptiness emphasizing the seclusion and Mellowed magnificence of the villa. Here, in the garden, the air seemed brighter, the sun warmer, while the plain was always dull and remote."
يَصفُ الكاتب تلك العزلة بطريقةٍ تُظهِر المنظورين؛ أولئك في الداخل يتأملون مكانهم بفخرٍ وافتتان، والعالم الخارجي الذي يرى الشر فيه، وما يُثبته وجوده عن الحالة الاقتصادية الرأسمالية للعالم.
ما أسهل أن ترى الزوجان كأناسٍ طيبون لا حول لهم ولا قوة، فأنت لست ترى القصة إلّا من منظورهم، تمامًا كما يحدث في الواقع، حيث تترتب القصة لصالحِ المحظوظ دون أن يدري المكروب أن القصة تُكتَب حتى.
وفي النهاية، يبقى تمثال الزوجين متماسكًا وسط الحطام. وبعد إسدالِ الستار، تمتدُ يدٌ لتُشكِّل القصة شكلًا غير أصلها، ويلعب الزمن لعبته، وفجأةً تجدُ ذكراهم حيةً مقدسةً، فكتابة التاريخ ترفٌ أخر لا يملكهُ إلّا الأثرياء.
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May 5, 2024read this bc of the met gala. so excited to see what people do with the theme this year (and let’s hope they actually read it 🙏🏽)
i’ll update with my fave looks
i’ll update with my fave looks
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May 17, 2024pov: it’s time to eat the rich and you’re the rich
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May 7, 2024this is the theme of this year's met gala... very interesting to say the least. not to be all tin foil hat esque but im gonna be. this short story is a critique on the upper-class, and how they use displays of wealth through beautiful things aka flowers as a facade to push back against the harsh realities of the world because they just don't wanna deal with it, very ironic… this event, where rich people dress up as literal flowers, this event that is being used to distract us from whats going on in rafah rn…. we are literally living in a dystopia!!! ALL EYES ON RAFAH!!
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April 9, 2024it’s the them of this years met gala and it was 6 pages so i decided to read it
upon some light research i see that it’s seen as a metaphor of the endless cycle of creation and destruction
i took a different meaning from it
it felt more like the rich who get to ignore the problems of the lower classes to me
idk
that’s my 2 cents
upon some light research i see that it’s seen as a metaphor of the endless cycle of creation and destruction
i took a different meaning from it
it felt more like the rich who get to ignore the problems of the lower classes to me
idk
that’s my 2 cents
May 8, 2024
jack edwards described it perfectly - haunting.
i see the five star. but i don't think i can personally rate it so.
everyone read this and then go shit on celebrities and their terrible fashion choices <3
i see the five star. but i don't think i can personally rate it so.
everyone read this and then go shit on celebrities and their terrible fashion choices <3
May 4, 2024
It is a short, beautiful story about embracing beauty whilst you can because time will take it.
May 22, 2024
I read this after seeing this years MET out of genuine curiosity. J.G Ballard is obviously a man who still impacts culture today and thus I thought I may as well investigate some of his work. The story itself is beautiful, concise and haunting. About fragility of wealth and the inevitable nature of life and time..: it will end for all of us. However what I found most interesting was the way the rich were represented. They seemed totally ignorant of why the angry mob were after them (we never were told) and instead just continued about their lives. The count and countess were displayed as ‘civilised’ and ‘cultured’ almost to the point where you pitied them being hunted by the out of control mob of angry peasants. The author has made them seem so far above those people, that the count and countess are the only ones we even care about. As though the mob did not matter at all. For this reason I think this is a very interesting choice for a MET gala. Where we all watch the richest and most famous members of society get dressed up in ridiculous ways, when there are quite literally wars taking place. Children are dying in Israel and Palestine, innocent people are falling in Ukraine and Russia. Whilst celebrities are quite literally dressing like the capitol. It really feels like the hunger games. So I do find it interesting that this is the story they chose, because it seems kind of ignorant to the current affairs of the world. The rich who are ‘so far above everyone else’s as they are in the story are almost entirely ignorant of the suffering of the peasants who are angry and blind sighted into violence. Interesting choices all round. Story is good, not sure about it for the MET tho. Also this review is me working out my own thoughts. Please don’t judge the length of it :)
June 16, 2025
In utterly pure awe of this short story
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May 16, 2024did none of the MET people actually read this short story...
May 10, 2024
I just finished reading J.G. Ballard's "The Garden of Time" after all the MET Gala dress code confusion—yeah, thanks for the book rec, Anna Wintour! The story's themes of wealth disparity and privilege so eerily mirrored the events that unfolded at the Gala itself.
Clinging to Beauty, Status and Youth
In the story, the wealthy aristocrats, Count Axel and the Countess, desperately cling not only to their wealth and status but also to their youth. They were attempting to escape the inevitable passage of time with the help of the time flowers that bloomed in their garden. This obsession with preserving their beauty and privilege serves as a stark contrast to the struggles of the common people.
Similarly, the MET Gala showcased celebrities adorned in luxurious outfits, seemingly immortalized in a moment of splendor.
Which was technically the dress code that was miscommunicated. This display of opulence mirrors the aristocrats' fixation on maintaining their youthful allure and exalted position in society. Not to mention the fact that they had to pay around $75,000 (£60,000) which is insanity just to flaunt around in even-more-expensive outfits and gowns around instead of talking about the current state of your own country (USA) and other nations' affairs it has involved itself in.
The Wealthy VS The Rest of Society
The mob marched outside the estate of Count Axel and his wife the Countess, the mob's voices resonated with the urgency of real-life issues. Like the actual protestors for Palestine (but also in solidarity of other global genocides happening currently) marching outside the MET Gala.
This juxtaposes the fleeting nature of the Gala's extravagance against the enduring concerns of everyday people. The lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous always overshadow the challenges faced by the masses (the commoners), much like the extravagant festivities of the MET Gala, the Superbowl, the Oscars etc. which are used to distract Us from the pressing issues protested just beyond the walls of opulence.
Ballard's Social Commentary
Ballard explores the aristocrats' fixation on youth and privilege in such a way that the story is timeless, because it remains relevant even in today's time.
Conclusion
I truly enjoyed "The Garden of Time" more than I expected to. It was a good, quick, and fairly easy read. I appreciated that it offers thought-provoking social commentary that remains relevant today. It's kind of funny though that this was the theme. It's like they're smug and laughing at us; oh, look at them down there in District 12, watching us here in the Capitol while they die and starve, and they think we're going to do anything about it.
Anyway, Free Congo, Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Tigray, West Papua, and any others I have not mentioned. [see below] <3
Clinging to Beauty, Status and Youth
In the story, the wealthy aristocrats, Count Axel and the Countess, desperately cling not only to their wealth and status but also to their youth. They were attempting to escape the inevitable passage of time with the help of the time flowers that bloomed in their garden. This obsession with preserving their beauty and privilege serves as a stark contrast to the struggles of the common people.
Similarly, the MET Gala showcased celebrities adorned in luxurious outfits, seemingly immortalized in a moment of splendor.
Which was technically the dress code that was miscommunicated. This display of opulence mirrors the aristocrats' fixation on maintaining their youthful allure and exalted position in society. Not to mention the fact that they had to pay around $75,000 (£60,000) which is insanity just to flaunt around in even-more-expensive outfits and gowns around instead of talking about the current state of your own country (USA) and other nations' affairs it has involved itself in.
The Wealthy VS The Rest of Society
The mob marched outside the estate of Count Axel and his wife the Countess, the mob's voices resonated with the urgency of real-life issues. Like the actual protestors for Palestine (but also in solidarity of other global genocides happening currently) marching outside the MET Gala.
This juxtaposes the fleeting nature of the Gala's extravagance against the enduring concerns of everyday people. The lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous always overshadow the challenges faced by the masses (the commoners), much like the extravagant festivities of the MET Gala, the Superbowl, the Oscars etc. which are used to distract Us from the pressing issues protested just beyond the walls of opulence.
Ballard's Social Commentary
Ballard explores the aristocrats' fixation on youth and privilege in such a way that the story is timeless, because it remains relevant even in today's time.
Conclusion
I truly enjoyed "The Garden of Time" more than I expected to. It was a good, quick, and fairly easy read. I appreciated that it offers thought-provoking social commentary that remains relevant today. It's kind of funny though that this was the theme. It's like they're smug and laughing at us; oh, look at them down there in District 12, watching us here in the Capitol while they die and starve, and they think we're going to do anything about it.
Anyway, Free Congo, Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Tigray, West Papua, and any others I have not mentioned. [see below] <3
May 4, 2024
Read this as Met Gala prep. Such a beautiful short story about time and beauty.
May 7, 2024
so ready to see how they ruin this in the met gala. 4,5/5
May 9, 2024
a great story but a truly insane met gala theme for this year
May 8, 2024
Okay, pienso muchas cosas al respecto de este cuento.
Primeramente me pareció precioso, que bonito está narrado, todo el tiempo podía ver claramente cada escena, me imaginé perfecto la villa, los salones, los jardines, las flores, a los duques y al ejército, 10/10.
Ahora, desde mi perspectiva, al estar escrito de esa manera tan bella (desde la perspectiva de la burguesía), la gente puede pasar por alto muy fácilmente que esto claramente es una crítica y una exposición súper evidente de los privilegios de unos sobre otros, realmente se muestra muy bien cómo cierta clase tiene la capacidad y los recursos de incluso detener el tiempo para retrasar un levantanmiento en su contra por parte del pueblo, y no solo eso, sino que incluso pueden evitar POR COMPLETO cualquier tipo de represalias. Personalmente creo que esto es aún m��s evidente sabiendo un poquito de la vida de J.G Ballard como contemporáneo de la WW II, aunque de todas maneras no puedo afirmar a ciencia cierta que ese haya sido su objetivo desde el principio.
Ya por último, ahora sabiendo esto me parece sumamente interesante y hasta cierto punto cuestionable la razón que tuvieron para elegir este cuento como tema principal de la Met Gala 2024, pero igual no lo voy a sobre pensar demasiado porque, desde el punto de vista poético, queda perfecto con el objetivo de revivir de alguna manera la naturaleza muerta o a las bellas durmientes (o sea, prendas históricas que están, literalmente, detenidas en el tiempo).
Sin duda, mucho contexto, pero si recomendarían totalmente leer este relato.
Primeramente me pareció precioso, que bonito está narrado, todo el tiempo podía ver claramente cada escena, me imaginé perfecto la villa, los salones, los jardines, las flores, a los duques y al ejército, 10/10.
Ahora, desde mi perspectiva, al estar escrito de esa manera tan bella (desde la perspectiva de la burguesía), la gente puede pasar por alto muy fácilmente que esto claramente es una crítica y una exposición súper evidente de los privilegios de unos sobre otros, realmente se muestra muy bien cómo cierta clase tiene la capacidad y los recursos de incluso detener el tiempo para retrasar un levantanmiento en su contra por parte del pueblo, y no solo eso, sino que incluso pueden evitar POR COMPLETO cualquier tipo de represalias. Personalmente creo que esto es aún m��s evidente sabiendo un poquito de la vida de J.G Ballard como contemporáneo de la WW II, aunque de todas maneras no puedo afirmar a ciencia cierta que ese haya sido su objetivo desde el principio.
Ya por último, ahora sabiendo esto me parece sumamente interesante y hasta cierto punto cuestionable la razón que tuvieron para elegir este cuento como tema principal de la Met Gala 2024, pero igual no lo voy a sobre pensar demasiado porque, desde el punto de vista poético, queda perfecto con el objetivo de revivir de alguna manera la naturaleza muerta o a las bellas durmientes (o sea, prendas históricas que están, literalmente, detenidas en el tiempo).
Sin duda, mucho contexto, pero si recomendarían totalmente leer este relato.
December 24, 2024
Sorry I’ve been on my short story grind (admittedly because I want to surpass my 2024 reading goal)
I read this bc of this years met gala theme and I found it very ironic, I hope that all of the attendees read this and understood it
I read this bc of this years met gala theme and I found it very ironic, I hope that all of the attendees read this and understood it
March 2, 2023
Time stops for no man or woman.
January 8, 2025
had to do my MET gala research 😍
May 11, 2024
This was beautifully written. After contemplating the MET Gala, I figured it would be best if I actually read it this for myself before judging everyone that attended.
My judgements were ultimately correct.
If you haven’t read this- it’s very short. Like 3 pages. It’s worth the read. That being said- here’s a brief summary. A man and his wife live in a beautiful villa with all they could ever wish for. There’s a garden off the terrace of beautiful, crystal flowers that rewind time. Bigger blooms rewind time back as many as 3 days. Small buds, a couple minutes. When they first happened upon the garden, there were hundreds of flowers. Now they are down to just a few. Every day, a huge mob of people gets closer to their door. The man picks a time flower every time they reach a certain point on the horizon to buy them more time and push back the angry mob. Fast forward and it’s time to pick the last flower. Before the mob gets too close, the husband and wife prepare their home by dusting it and locking up valuables. They proceed to the garden. The mob is throwing rocks that are sailing over the wall and into windows in the villa. The wife plucks the final bud which only slows the mob down by a few moments. In the end, the mob finally breaks through the wall and they see inside the villa. Everything has succumbed to time. The books are all torn apart and all the treasures are ruined. The mob trampled over everything except they see a thicket of thorns that are intertwined with poison berries. They carefully move around it and see that it is surrounding a beautiful statue of the man and his wife. They are perfectly preserved and untouched by time.
Here’s how I feel.
1. The MET Gala, while frivolous and gross, is necessary and important because it funds the costume and historical dress collection at the MET. It’s the only department that has to secure its own funding which is BS because fashion IS art. More importantly, it tells the stories of people that came before us. There are extent garments from hundreds of years ago that have been preserved that we have learned so much from. It *IS* important.
2. It is not more important than humanity. As the MET Gala was happening, Israel dropped bombs on Rafa. They drove everyone to Rafa and called it a safe space, then blocked the border to Egypt with tanks and dropped pamphlets telling them to leave or they would be bombed. Leave to where? Where are they supposed to go? That’s genocide. And while a genocide happened, Zendaya walked down the carpet in not one, but two dresses that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not to mention that each ticket to the MET Gala is $75,000. One brand donating the price of the ticket could have helped dozens of people escape death.
3. I find it unfair and ironic that the man and woman get to live their beautiful life in their beautiful home with all their beautiful things. They even prolong that life by selfishly blowing through a precious and rare natural resource, yet in the end, they still are preserved and remembered as beautiful, pristine statues. Nothing in their home benefits the mob of people. It’s all ruined. All they have is a bunch of thorns protecting a pretty statue.
But that’s exactly how we treat celebrities. Elvis and Michael Jackson come to mind. I’m sure both set up funds or what ever, but the vast majority of their resources went to those around them that were already better off than most of us. They both did horrible, disgusting things, but most people still revere and worship them. It’s true that they made amazing art that changed music forever, but should that matter more than morals?
Celebrity is so protected after death. Just like that thorn bush, society and the press wrap them up in accolades and sentimentality meanwhile, the people they stepped on are left to pick up the pieces of their lives with no compensation or assistance.
4. Are they laughing at us? They cannot possibly be so dense as to not see the parallels in the story, can they? I am sure the majority of the celebrities didn’t even bother to read the story, but Anna Wintour and Co have to be laughing in our faces at this point, right? I feel like something could have and should have been done or said to support Palestine. But everything is so wrapped up in politics that no one wants to say anything. The richest among us can’t “afford” to have morals while our students are being beaten and trampled by police for standing up for what’s right.
I’m disgusted. I’m angry. I’m confused. I understand that there was an attack against Jewish people on a holy day back in October. I cannot ever explain away the death of innocent people or make excuses for the people that committed such horrible crimes. I am not an antisemite. I love the Jewish people as I love the Palestinian people. What’s happening is wrong and horrifying and I don’t see how it can be ignored by so many people. These celebrities just keep on cashing in their time flowers like they are an unlimited resource, but time *will* run out eventually. The only catch is, they will be held in irreproachable memoriam while we are left to pick up the pieces of our ruined world.
My judgements were ultimately correct.
If you haven’t read this- it’s very short. Like 3 pages. It’s worth the read. That being said- here’s a brief summary. A man and his wife live in a beautiful villa with all they could ever wish for. There’s a garden off the terrace of beautiful, crystal flowers that rewind time. Bigger blooms rewind time back as many as 3 days. Small buds, a couple minutes. When they first happened upon the garden, there were hundreds of flowers. Now they are down to just a few. Every day, a huge mob of people gets closer to their door. The man picks a time flower every time they reach a certain point on the horizon to buy them more time and push back the angry mob. Fast forward and it’s time to pick the last flower. Before the mob gets too close, the husband and wife prepare their home by dusting it and locking up valuables. They proceed to the garden. The mob is throwing rocks that are sailing over the wall and into windows in the villa. The wife plucks the final bud which only slows the mob down by a few moments. In the end, the mob finally breaks through the wall and they see inside the villa. Everything has succumbed to time. The books are all torn apart and all the treasures are ruined. The mob trampled over everything except they see a thicket of thorns that are intertwined with poison berries. They carefully move around it and see that it is surrounding a beautiful statue of the man and his wife. They are perfectly preserved and untouched by time.
Here’s how I feel.
1. The MET Gala, while frivolous and gross, is necessary and important because it funds the costume and historical dress collection at the MET. It’s the only department that has to secure its own funding which is BS because fashion IS art. More importantly, it tells the stories of people that came before us. There are extent garments from hundreds of years ago that have been preserved that we have learned so much from. It *IS* important.
2. It is not more important than humanity. As the MET Gala was happening, Israel dropped bombs on Rafa. They drove everyone to Rafa and called it a safe space, then blocked the border to Egypt with tanks and dropped pamphlets telling them to leave or they would be bombed. Leave to where? Where are they supposed to go? That’s genocide. And while a genocide happened, Zendaya walked down the carpet in not one, but two dresses that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not to mention that each ticket to the MET Gala is $75,000. One brand donating the price of the ticket could have helped dozens of people escape death.
3. I find it unfair and ironic that the man and woman get to live their beautiful life in their beautiful home with all their beautiful things. They even prolong that life by selfishly blowing through a precious and rare natural resource, yet in the end, they still are preserved and remembered as beautiful, pristine statues. Nothing in their home benefits the mob of people. It’s all ruined. All they have is a bunch of thorns protecting a pretty statue.
But that’s exactly how we treat celebrities. Elvis and Michael Jackson come to mind. I’m sure both set up funds or what ever, but the vast majority of their resources went to those around them that were already better off than most of us. They both did horrible, disgusting things, but most people still revere and worship them. It’s true that they made amazing art that changed music forever, but should that matter more than morals?
Celebrity is so protected after death. Just like that thorn bush, society and the press wrap them up in accolades and sentimentality meanwhile, the people they stepped on are left to pick up the pieces of their lives with no compensation or assistance.
4. Are they laughing at us? They cannot possibly be so dense as to not see the parallels in the story, can they? I am sure the majority of the celebrities didn’t even bother to read the story, but Anna Wintour and Co have to be laughing in our faces at this point, right? I feel like something could have and should have been done or said to support Palestine. But everything is so wrapped up in politics that no one wants to say anything. The richest among us can’t “afford” to have morals while our students are being beaten and trampled by police for standing up for what’s right.
I’m disgusted. I’m angry. I’m confused. I understand that there was an attack against Jewish people on a holy day back in October. I cannot ever explain away the death of innocent people or make excuses for the people that committed such horrible crimes. I am not an antisemite. I love the Jewish people as I love the Palestinian people. What’s happening is wrong and horrifying and I don’t see how it can be ignored by so many people. These celebrities just keep on cashing in their time flowers like they are an unlimited resource, but time *will* run out eventually. The only catch is, they will be held in irreproachable memoriam while we are left to pick up the pieces of our ruined world.
May 9, 2024
Este cuento ha sido elegido como tema de la met gala en el 2024. En unas pocas hojas J.G. Ballard crea una atmósfera tensa donde el final ineludible se abalanza desde el primer momento. Su argumento puede tener muchas lecturas, el cambio climático; la destrucción de las ciencias y las artes por los bárbaros y la guerra; la eterna dicotomía entre la creación y la destrucción...
En los tiempos que vivimos es imposible no darle un nuevo significado, porque esa gente rica que se encuentra en la villa no puede sino recordarnos a los famosos que pueblan nuestro entretenimiento y esa turba parece casi revolucionaria y cansada de su sufrimiento.
Pd: era el tema perfecto para dar micro a la masacre que se está viviendo en Palestina y abrir las puertas de ese jardín que nunca hubo de estar amurallado. Supongo que poco se le puede pedir a estos famosos que de artistas solo tienen lo excéntrico.
En los tiempos que vivimos es imposible no darle un nuevo significado, porque esa gente rica que se encuentra en la villa no puede sino recordarnos a los famosos que pueblan nuestro entretenimiento y esa turba parece casi revolucionaria y cansada de su sufrimiento.
Pd: era el tema perfecto para dar micro a la masacre que se está viviendo en Palestina y abrir las puertas de ese jardín que nunca hubo de estar amurallado. Supongo que poco se le puede pedir a estos famosos que de artistas solo tienen lo excéntrico.
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