It starts with a clever ad; a paper clip, casually clipped to a page, claiming it’s lived a more adventurous life than most of us. It’s funny, ironic, and smart.
But beneath the humor, Volkswagen’s message lands hard: you’ve settled into routine so tightly that even a paper clip has seen more of the world than you.
That stings. Because it’s probably true.
Trap of the Comfortable Cage
For many of us, life becomes a well-organized spreadsheet. We wake up, go to work, reply to emails, tick off tasks, scroll through notifications, and call it a day. It’s not that anything is wrong, it’s just that nothing is alive.
We grow up being told to “work hard and succeed,” but rarely are we told to “wander aimlessly and discover.”
We plan careers, not detours. We save for retirement, not a three-month sabbatical in Goa. And somewhere along the way, we mistake movement for meaning.
This ad, with its traveling paper clip, isn’t really about SUVs or holidays. It’s a wake-up call in disguise. A reminder that life is not a checklist of responsibilities, but a collection of lived experiences.
And if you’re not careful, you’ll miss it while being busy managing it.
How Did We Get Here?
We didn’t choose this consciously. The pressure to be productive is woven into our culture. A full calendar equals value. Busyness equals success. If you’re not constantly “doing something important,” you’re wasting time.
But when you zoom out, what’s the point of it all? If a paper clip – designed to sit still on a desk – can accidentally find itself in Transylvania, Marrakech, and Lake Como, what excuse do we have?
The real irony isn’t just that a paper clip is living more. It’s that we are the only creatures capable of creating meaning, and yet we constantly delay it for later.
Later, when things calm down.
Later, when I’ve earned more.
Later, when it makes sense.
But life doesn’t wait for later.
Quiet Rebellion of Saying “Yes”
You don’t need to quit your job or buy a van tomorrow.
But maybe you can start small.
Say yes to an impulsive weekend trip. Leave work early just to sit in a park and watch the sky change. Take that dance class. Write that story. Visit that friend. Learn that language.
These little detours remind you that life is meant to be lived, not optimized.
And ironically, it’s in these moments of so-called “non-productivity” that we find ourselves again; not as roles or titles, but as people.
What the Paper Clip Really Taught Me
I laughed at the ad. Then I thought about it for hours. Then I sat down to write this. Not because a piece of bent steel deserves my attention, but because it reminded me that I haven’t gone anywhere truly new – inward or outward – in far too long.
And maybe you haven’t either.
So no, this isn’t just a clever campaign. It’s a prompt. A nudge. A paper clip tapping you on the shoulder and saying, “Hey, when was the last time you actually felt free?”
You don’t need a passport to answer that. Just a bit of courage to step off the path, even for a moment.
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