Queuing for Gadgets: Is Waiting for the Latest Trend a Sign of Wisdom?

Long lines for the latest must-have items, like the Swatch and Audemars Piguet Royal Pop watch released in May, have become a curious trend. Some enthusiasts camped for two days to secure their coveted timepiece. This phenomenon seems at odds with our era of instant gratification, where speed is paramount and waiting is often met with frustration.

Philosopher Gilles Vervisch, author of "Le Courage de renoncer," explores this paradox. He notes that while we live in a time of high-speed travel and instant communication, people are willing to sacrifice hours for a "cronut" or a cupcake. This behavior challenges the notion that we universally dislike wasting time, referencing Blaise Pascal's observation that "All of humanity's unhappiness comes from one thing: not knowing how to stay quietly in one's room."

Vervisch suggests that dismissing these queues as mere symptoms of a superficial, impulsive consumer society might be too simplistic. While some see it as a sign of valuing the ephemeral over the enduring, or an inability to tolerate frustration, he offers a different perspective. The willingness to wait, he posits, could indicate an understanding that valuable things require time and effort.

Instead of pure impatience, the desire to be the first to own the latest gadget might be the driving force. If people were truly patient, they would simply wait for the item to become more readily available. Vervisch hints that those who queue might have grasped a deeper truth, perhaps echoing Spinoza's idea that desire itself imbues things with charm, and pleasure is found in the anticipation and the pursuit.