Social Change and the Picture of Time

Scholarly Paper aus dem Jahr 2005 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Kultur und Landeskunde, Note: very good (1,0), Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (Institut für fremdsprachliche Philologien), Veranstaltung: Time in Cultures - Cultures in Time (Culture Studies), 19 Eintragungen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Englisch, Anmerkungen: This paper compares the pagan and medieval notion of time with the concept of time that was prevalent in the advent of the industrial revolution (specifically Hegel's Philosophy of Time is examined, which implies a linear notion of time as opposed to a circular one). Furthermore, connections are made between these different concepts and the living conditions in the times when they were found. , Abstract: The organization of time is not merely a matter of managing tasks, but also closely related to the notion of time prevalent in a certain culture. This explains why pictures of time increasing its pace occur in western societies even though neither the days nor the lives of people become shorter. In this work, it is shown that the notion of time is affiliated with specific moral values influencing the way things are handled and the things people strive for. Through an examination of the different concepts of time prevalent in the Middle Ages and in the late eighteenth century (specifically Hegel's philosophy of time), specific moral values of these societies are revealed. These moral values strongly influence decision making in short-term as well as in long-term issues. They inspire the goals people have for their lives and they affect the management of everyday life activities. This work also uses these cultures as examples of how to make this connection between the notion of time, the morality, the living conditions and the way specific issues are dealt with.