Man Enjoying Drink on Yacht

Lazy days of summer

The rich, casual life is often romanticized, but few encounter it closely. It typically involves oceans of time, a sun-dappled deck, and a beverage at the ready. The man on the yacht, dressed in sunglasses and a long-sleeved shirt, leans into this life. It would be easy to dismiss this as a cliché image, a sign of opulence or idleness. The reality of the scene, though, is more complex. Even without the trademark luxury trinkets — hints of a Rolex or a designer refrigerated drink station — the scene is luxurious. In the midday of a bright, sunny day, the man on the yacht poses as the simple, leisurely embodiment of a particular, comfortable wealth. The drink in his hand, as it turns out, might be one of the few real clues to some of the many reasons this scene was filmed.

The real luxury

The beverage can in his hand could be any of the many brands that might feature on a luxury yacht. But the beige shirt doesn’t quite close the case about what the yacht owner, the man on the yacht does for a living, or what kind of a person he may be. The drink, in particular, might be the nearest we get to identifying the man’s lifestyle. Still, the scene is not a parade of wealth or a search for luxury living deserves. There is a sense of contentment. It’s a life devoid of the typical friction of city streets. The man’s outfit brings a certain level of dignity, a sense of purpose that the viewer might read as a kind of quiet acceptance of loneliness or isolation. This is not a frivolous libation, but a true contentment.

Living simply

Why is the man in a long-sleeved shirt? The weather is sunny and bright, yes, but he could be protecting himself from UV rays. Yet, it might be something else. The sun is at its peak, which suggests a man with a sun exposure plan, which points to a planning nature. In that sense, the shirt hints at the methodical workings of this person, their ability to plan far ahead and make other decisions on the fly. Who is he? We don’t know. What does he do? We can only guess. The scene is far too private for any kind of details. The sunglasses, the long-sleeve shirt, the beverage — none of these are markers of the person’s life. Rather, they are markers of a life that is envied, one of comfort and relief from the chaos of daily life.