Culture & Time

I’ve been thinking about time—and how we view time as linear in this culture, looking at our lives as if they were plotted on a timeline. This affects my experience of time and of life itself. It’s this sense or feeling that you are going somewhere and you aren’t there yet. It’s the sensation of traveling without arriving. This brings a kind of tension into the moment—a subtle resistance to what is already here, now.

A week ago, I was looking forward to the trip I’m on now. While I’m on the trip, I find myself looking forward to other things. It’s almost as if this looking forward is a compulsion—independent of whatever it’s directed toward. It’s as if there is a perpetual leaning into the future embedded in the psyche of the culture I was raised in.

We have been raised in a future-focused culture:
Work now so you can enjoy life later.
Can’t wait for my next vacation.
When I finally achieve this promotion, I’ll be happy.

An outcome-focused culture. A culture that has lost appreciation for the present moment.

The key issue here is that the treasures of life are found in the present moment. When one plasters their life story onto a linear timeline, it creates an illusion of a destination. This illusion becomes the source of our overlooking the now—and when we overlook what is most precious, we miss out on life.

Although I’d love to do a more in-depth investigation into how different cultures view time and life, this essay is mostly a reflection on my experience within Western culture. My point is this: in order to make the most of life—to honor the gift of life—we must be present.

Presence is key.

#substack #posted
https://open.substack.com/pub/gyol/p/culture-and-time?r=37toel&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web