Skip to main content

punctuality: tradition & modern

this last week have thought and observed a lot on the lack of punctuality in people. 

always knew that traditional societies measured time in different slices, in some cases in a bracket of 4 hours, in others in a period of the day, hence, when someone said they will come at 10, they can turn up at 12 and it is fine by their standard as it is the same time slice within which they have arrived. the reasons are because their time measure was based on the interaction with nature - you did certain agricultural activities at a certain slice of time in a day and certain other activities at other slice of time. their world view and understanding was based on the natural eco-system - human interaction.

modern people live in different eco-systems and their eco-systems are often self-created. their idea of punctuality is based on the understanding of the power of the eco-system, someone is more loyal to powerful forces, hence prioritizes to be punctual in front of power and not-punctual in front of not-so-powerful. others are punctual to sustain an image, so, in public they are punctual and on personal life they seem to be not too careful...the eco-system - human relationship that we want to create and sustain is what provides us with the need for punctuality or for that matter any values that we want to practice.

somehow, the modern man blames the traditional one for practicing the same as what he does, whereas it is a matter of non-compatibility of eco-systems that one wants to sustain, though the practices are same.


Comments

Popular...

Buddha Poornima Meditations, 2015

"May kindly spirits bring the rains on time, For harvests to be rich and plentiful. May princes rule according to the Dharma; May the world be blessed with all prosperity. May medicines be full of strength; May secret words of power be chanted with success. May spirits o the air that feed on flesh Be kind, their minds imbued with pity. May beings never suffer anguish Let them not be sick nor evilly behave. May they have no fear, nor suffer insults. Always may their minds be free from sorrow. In monasteries, temples, and the like, May reading and reciting widely flourish. May harmony prevail among the Sangha; May its purposes be all fulfilled. ... May those who break their discipline repent, And always may they strive to cleanse away their faults, And thus may they acquire a fortunate rebirth, Wherein to practice stainless discipline. May wise and learned being be revered, And always be sustained by alms. May they be pure in mind, And may their fame spread far and wi