I recently listened to a discussion about how do you control what children are watching on TV when late night, adult themed programmes are available to watch at breakfast time through the use of services such as iPlayer.
Leaving the debate about what’s acceptable and what’s not for children to one side, it did get me thinking about how our concept of time has changed due to the progression of technology and our changing culture.
I remember when we first got a computer and access to the internet at home, and we’d only be able to go on after 6pm when it was a lot cheaper. Internet time for me was in the evenings, and I’d excitedly rush upstairs at 5.55pm to get the computer ready. Now, the first thing I do after switching off my alarm clock in the morning is to check my e-mails and various social media accounts. The internet is so readily available that I’m no longer restricted by time, and will browse the internet whenever I have a minute to spare, whether it’s while I’m waiting for the kettle to boil or if I’m stood in line at the post office.
Time no longer limits me either when it comes to buying products. After hearing about a new book release on Twitter last night, I instantly downloaded it to my Kindle and started reading it within minutes of deciding I wanted it. Before, I would have had to wait until the weekend so that I could physically go to a book shop and get it.
Even the shops have changed, with many having late night openings, some even being open 24 hours a day, and Sunday now being considered a shopping day like the others. The same can be said about bank holidays – most shops are now open when they used to be closed and people would spend time with their families at home or going to the seaside.
Working hours still give structure, with most companies working the typical 9 – 5 day, but for those who wish to continue working into the late hours of the night, it’s very easy to do so. Skype means you can have conference calls with someone in Australia or Japan at the touch of a button, so even international time differences are no longer too much of a problem.
Although most people would argue these differences have made a positive change, there are some negative factors. Leaving aside bigger issues such as what’s happened to family time, and if it’s healthy not to have a ‘switch off’ part of the day where you’re no longer working or glued to the internet, I have found that my expectation and patience levels have changed.
The number of times we’ve complained in the office when it takes Google more than three seconds (and that’s no exaggeration) to refresh a page. We live in a culture now where we want, and expect, things instantly. Whether that’s a coffee to go, or access to our e-mails, we can’t wait. So in a society where we’ve become less restricted by designated time slots, and have gadgets that supposedly save us time, we seem to have become more frustrated by not being able to fit more things in to the day rather than more relaxed.
So the next time you finish a task quickly thanks to some clever gadget, perhaps you should use the free time created to put up your feet and read a book. Go on, you’re allowed.