Our perception of time is determined primarily by the individual social processes that we encounter throughout each of our days. It is our responsibility to determine how our time should be used throughout our social processes. It was interesting to read how our perception of time is usually determined by how we are spending it. For example, Theory Toolbox mentioned Spring Break. When we take “time off” from our normal everyday routine and change it for a relaxing fun weekend with college friend’s time seems to change rapidly. What is outside of our norm seems to go by completely faster, whereas our day-to-day activities seem to drag on throughout each day. Why is that time that is enjoyable goes by so much faster than everyday activities that can be boring?
Theory Toolbox states, “our experience of time is also heavily mediated by our access to material resources…time is a luxury” (111). Having the luxuries of everyday items can heavily influence how our time of day is spent and how we divide our time in order to complete each activity. For example, the differing lives of college students and their ability to spend their time. One student could have a vehicle, laptop, money to spend, and not have a job which would rapidly increase the time they had for “free time”, personal time, and even time for friends and going out, whereas the other student had to walk to class, use the libraries computers, a forty hour a week job which would decrease his time to enjoy the leisurely activities that other college students get to enjoy. It’s interesting to see how our place in society can determine whether or not we have privileges in time.
I feel that Americans often tend to take time for granted. We live our lives going from one step to the other, without focusing on what is more important which is the self. If we put ourselves in a more enjoyable atmosphere our time throughout the day would be more self-satisfying. Our time is shaped by our social processes and material resources, but we can help shape our surroundings and determine how our time should be used.
Hi Amanda, Thanks for the good response to TT's chapter on time. It's interesting to consider that, rather than something that simply is, time is socially mediated, a frame of reference created by a social process. We do tend to take time for granted. Thanks for the good thoughts, dw
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