Contrived though it may be, we find ourselves in an Orwellian-esque world in which polarising, sequestering and subjugating have become societal status quo's.
And so it is for good reason that we find ourselves fearful of self expression.
The manner in which we dress, the manner in which we speak, our opinions and indeed our every move are the subject of intense scrutiny. In this day and age, to be your own man is to defy the status quo.
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Authenticity Is The Antidote
To defy the status quo is the very essence of authenticity. It is with this sentiment in mind that we recall the words of Clint Eastwood;
"There's a rebel lying deep in my soul. I hate the idea of trends. I hate imitation; I have a reverence for individuality."
And so this season at Michael Jondral, we urge you to stray from the crowd, embark on your own journey and embrace the essence of authenticity.
And while authenticity itself is not extrinsically attainable, our collection will certainly help you in expressing it…
The Man Who Didn't Need a Name
There is perhaps no greater exemplar of authenticity than Clint Eastwood - the Man With no Name. Throughout Sergio Leone's iconic Dollars Trilogy' (featuring 'A Fistful of Dollars', 'For a Few Dollars More', and 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly'), the Man With no Name established himself as a man of few words.
The words he did say, he delivered through his teeth. He oozed courage, character and charisma. He cared not for the status quo, and marched (or rather rode horseback) to the beat of his own drum.
His steely, anti-hero persona digs into our consciousness like a spur in a horse's abdomen. His bearded, cigarillo-smoking, suede vest-wearing on-screen persona was reflected even in Eastwoods's personal life - made manifest in multiple refusals to publicly acknowledge how many children he has sired.
Eastwood, at his core, was a rebel whose embrace of authenticity shall see him enshrined in the annals of Hollywood folklore forevermore.
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A Final Thought
While modern life is not a Spaghetti Western nor an endless holiday conquering the slopes of Jackson Hole, Wyoming - the town in which the iconic American brand, Rocky Mountain Featherbed was born (Soon to be added to our curated selection) - the lesson we can learn from Eastwood is the value of authenticity and remaining true to oneself.
There is no perfect mould or framework within which we should fit. We are all imperfectly perfect, and as per the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi, we should embrace this imperfection, for within imperfection lies authenticity and within authenticity lies true beauty.