Global Perception of Time
Student
Strayer University

Global Perception of Time C. Ezzell (2002) wrote an article titled “Clocking Cultures” that analyzed the difference of time perception in multiple cultures. She used several sources to compare the ideologies of time in separate areas of the world. Throughout her paper, she uncovers that there are several different ways of viewing time. Ezzell (2002) documents that several experts in the field of sociology acknowledge that different countries view time in different ways. She explains that the two main views of time are: seeing time as a straight line or viewing time at a cycling compilation of the past, present, and future. She presents the concept of the indigenous Aborigines of Australia called “Dreamtime.” She defines this as “not only a creation myth but a method of finding their way around the countryside.” The Aborigines used “Dreamtime” as a way to see past time and space and view past, present and future as a whole. Ezzell (2002) pointed out that there are also several similarities as well. She gives a global example that all cultures accept the more inferior person as having to patiently wait for the superior person. The author concludes that time study can be separated into a practical view or a planetary view. E.T. Hall is an anthropologist that coined the phrase “Silent language” to express the idea of an unspoken idea of time for a particular culture. Hall explained that a cultures’ idea of time will not be explained, but they are still present. Hall documented in Scientific America that the different views of time can become confusing for a person of a foreign culture. He published the idea that a dignitary might feel disrespected through an action based off another culture’s time perception, but needs to understand that it was most likely unintentional. Hall explained that the action seen as disrespectful to one culture might have been viewed as acceptable or commonplace in another (cited in Ezzell, 2002). Ezzell (2002) pointed out that even though all cultures have compatible time keeping devices, most differ on the importance of wasted time. She talked about “pace of life studies in 31 countries” performed by Robert V. Levine. Levine is a psychologist for California State University. In 1997, Levine’s publishing in A Geography of Time shows scientific evidence that groups of countries on the same continent have a similar value of time (cited in Ezzell, 2002). Anthropologist Keven K. Birth makes a humorous example of time perception called “Trinidad Time”. Birth explained that while Trinidad follows the global expectations of being on time for work; their social time lack expectation for punctuality. Birth explains that people aren’t aware of their social time outlooks, and you must use alternate methods to study it. Birth discovered on a global scale that how closely you watch time is related to your type of employment (cited in Ezzell, 2002). Ezzell (2002) adds that our perception of time is an unconscious action. She points out that we are not always thinking of the origin of our daily action; we just perform them! She adds that not all cultures believe in the same origins or direction of time. A published Muslim, Ziauddin Sardar, explained that Muslims try to relive the past, and Americans use the past to make a better future (cited in Ezzell, 2002). Ezzell’s purpose for this paper was to compile different theories and experiments on time for the general readers of Scientific American. This paper was written as a behavioral analysis in a very respectful and informative tone. I found this paper to be informative and extremely interesting. I was aware of different cultural time perspectives but not of their origins. I feel I have a better understanding of why people of different countries carry themselves, and how they feel towards others. Some countries treat time like a business venture at all times, and some cultures only see business time during business hours. I was not quite aware that some cultures see time in a circle instead of a straight line.

References
Ezzell, C. (2002) Clocking cultures. In D. Roen, G.R. Glau, & B.M. Maid. (Eds.), The McGraw-Hill guide: Writing for college, writing for life. (pp. 143-145). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill Learning Solutions.