Albert Einstein said, “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” With today’s modern day demands and shortage of time, we are doing just that “everything at once!”
Timely Matters
By Wendy Reichental
R
emember when you were in elementary or high school and you couldn’t wait for Friday and the weekend to come around? Remember how long it seemed to take for it to get to Friday? It took forever! And if there was something you were particularly looking forward to like that high school dance in the gym or the anticipation of that first date on a Saturday night, you could have sworn that time itself had stood completely still. Well, not anymore! Today, I believe government scientists have secretly conspired and figured out a way to manipulate and accelerate time without our knowledge, so that no matter what you are looking forward to, and as we get older - more often than not - not looking forward to, it will happen and be here sooner and faster than you think. The world is spiraling out of control and at warp speed. For those prickly few who want to stop and smell the roses you’d be better off living in proximity to a black hole. Literally, black holes are the only objects where space and time become so twisted that time practically stops.
Back here on home planet, you might feel like you are in a hole as Fridays turn into Mondays and you haven’t even blinked yet? And if you are not convinced that some evil force has got a hand over our hand in time, just look around; our daily existence is constantly being sped up. We have quick fixes, rapid service, (except in hospitals), instant messaging, speed-dialing, speed dating which may lead to meals-on-the-go which inevitably necessitates our need for popping fast dissolving antacids, and if this doesn’t work to sooth our discomfort and irritability, there’s always a 5-minute therapist! As a result we are all being fast tracked through life not to mention the seasons. Why else would retail stores need to display their Halloween decorations in August and Christmas lights and merchandise shortly thereafter? Why the need for “Back to School” ads while the kids are still in camp and it’s only JULY! What's the rush?
Albert Einstein said, “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” With today’s modern day demands and shortage of time, we are doing just that “everything at once!” Nothing demonstrates this more than people lining up to be the first to own the newest in must-have innovations, “folks look over there it’s a laptop, it’s an ipod/MP3 player, it’s the Apple iPhone!” I just can’t understand why we constantly need to be doing more than one thing at a time. We can’t even go for a simple walk without being plugged into our sunglasses with Bluetooth MP3 abilities. In addition to the UV protection, this technology affords us the opportunity to listen to music and our phone calls unless of course we want to screen and therefore forward our messages to our answering machines, e-mails, palm pilot or BlackBerries. Imagine all that shouting, arguing, and belting along to tunes, while avoiding the harsh glare of the sun and apparently each other. And I thought seeing things through rose-colored glasses was challenging enough.
Studies have indicated that constant multi-tasking causes our brains to get over stimulated, making it difficult to focus and maintain concentration on one thing. This could possibly explain why I can’t watch Larry King and read the CNN top stories news banner on the bottom of the screen at the same time. I am not a bionic octopus! This modus operandi that has been instilled upon us - doing more simultaneously and faster - will only lead us into becoming one big “compressed society.” Look around, people are already suffering from a bit of ADHD (Always Desiring Habitual Distractions). How could they not when it’s forced upon them to be hooked up to something, but in tune to nothing that truly matters? Imagine if we applied better values to our time and attempted genuine connections with our family and friends? Could we just slow down and put the gadgets away for just one measly moment? Or for those of you with no time to spare, perhaps a millisecond!
About The Author
When not working as a secretary for the prestigious McGill University, Wendy Reichental spends her time writing about things that irk her and wishing she could do this full time. In addition to enjoying writing, she enjoys giving her husband a good foot workout as she is a bonafide reflexologist. She holds a B.A. and Diploma in Family Life Education from McGill University.
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