The Concept of Time
How significant is the concept of time as a way that we classify society? Explain some different cultural notions of time.
The concept of time is not universally defined; it is a socially constructed entity, as different cultures in the world interpret time in different ways. So, do we share time? We all live in the present, but do all cultures in the world view the past and the future as holding the same level of importance? In a globalised world it is easy to synchronize clocks, but is synchronizing cultures as easy? Around the world, some cultures don’t see time as something that should control their lives, some cultures believe that time is everything, whilst others have no concept of time whatsoever. We now live in a globalised world that provides us with new technologies and the ability to undertake anthropological research highlighting the diversities of human culture. Despite the intercultural contact due to these advancements, perceptions have remained unchanged in societies resistant to adopting what are now globalised ideologies of time. This essay is going to provide examples and explain some different cultural notions of time between pre-industrial and industrial societies. It will then look at how significant the concept of time is in regards to how we classify society, and then relate these concepts to key Sociological and Anthropological theories. Before the industrial revolution and the impending urbanisation, societies were small and for the most part depended on local resources for their survival. Hunter-gatherer society’s subsistence comes primarily from hunting animals, fishing and gathering plants. All humans lived in this way just 12,000 years ago and whilst facing extinction, some of these societies still function in the world today despite the process of modernity (Lee and Daly, 1999). The Pirahã Tribe are a culture without any concept of time. The Pirahã people are a small indigenous tribe of around 350 people located in the Amazon
The concept of time is not universally defined; it is a socially constructed entity, as different cultures in the world interpret time in different ways. So, do we share time? We all live in the present, but do all cultures in the world view the past and the future as holding the same level of importance? In a globalised world it is easy to synchronize clocks, but is synchronizing cultures as easy? Around the world, some cultures don’t see time as something that should control their lives, some cultures believe that time is everything, whilst others have no concept of time whatsoever. We now live in a globalised world that provides us with new technologies and the ability to undertake anthropological research highlighting the diversities of human culture. Despite the intercultural contact due to these advancements, perceptions have remained unchanged in societies resistant to adopting what are now globalised ideologies of time. This essay is going to provide examples and explain some different cultural notions of time between pre-industrial and industrial societies. It will then look at how significant the concept of time is in regards to how we classify society, and then relate these concepts to key Sociological and Anthropological theories. Before the industrial revolution and the impending urbanisation, societies were small and for the most part depended on local resources for their survival. Hunter-gatherer society’s subsistence comes primarily from hunting animals, fishing and gathering plants. All humans lived in this way just 12,000 years ago and whilst facing extinction, some of these societies still function in the world today despite the process of modernity (Lee and Daly, 1999). The Pirahã Tribe are a culture without any concept of time. The Pirahã people are a small indigenous tribe of around 350 people located in the Amazon
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