How we relate to time is central to our experience of being human. From the fleeting “situational identity” of ever, increasing acceleration to a one, sided focus on the present in “mcmindfulness” (Rosa, 2013; Purser, 2019). This dimension concerns how people and societies relate to time and history. Balance here lies in a shared focus on the past, present, and future.
Historical awareness: balance in navigating the past, present, and future. A well, developed practical and theoretical historical awareness serves as a counterbalance to the trends mentioned above. Historical awareness involves using the past, present, and future as resources and as a way of being. The past can serve as a resource for the individual by looking back to draw strength from the fact that people have managed to survive in tougher times (Furedi, 2019). The present also allows one to develop a different relationship with it, one that is more alert and intense (Paulsen, 2020). The future can direct our thoughts toward a sense of responsibility that arises from seeing ourselves as part of a chain that provides strength for future generations, a purpose beyond the self that works against homogenization and narcissism (Lasch, 2018). One way to engage with history while simultaneously creating a strong connection to the present, in the form of “social resonance” (Rosa, 2019) is by participating in social movements, where one feels part of something greater. In a social movement, one works toward the future, engages with the present in a challenging way, and maintains a connection to the movement’s history (Summer-Effler, 2004).
If we cultivate historical awareness and temporal awareness, we can move more easily between these three dimensions of time, where they reinforce one another rather than conflicting. The past provides strength and historical grounding; the future directs one’s energies and efforts toward the present. The “light subject” is one who has drawn too heavily from the three different parts and is more fluid and disoriented. The “medium, weight subject” senses the weight of time, such as responsibility, but is not weighed down too much.
Imbalances
Below are various imbalances in this dimension.
Disoriented historical consciousness: history leads to disorientation; history does not become a source of strength, but rather creates uncertainty and makes it difficult to cope with the present. This is linked to another imbalance: overstimulation in the present. Overstimulation from various impressions in the present causes the subject to become overwhelmed. Simmel’s concept of the “blasé” attitude is one way of reacting to this overstimulation. It can be a constant flow of new information and news (neumania) (Taleb, 2007) that makes it difficult to see beyond the present. One becomes fixated on the present and weighed down/drawn into the vortex of the present. This overstimulation, in turn, makes it difficult to focus deeply and intently on a single thing in the present. This “present-fixation” is a disoriented state, in contrast to a calmer and more methodical focus on one task at a time, for example, by being in a state of flow or deeply focused (Newport, 2016). It is a future, oriented mindset that is self, centered and lacks understanding or accountability toward future generations. This disorientation also stems from social amnesia, where important lessons are not passed on to subsequent generations. These lessons must be “rediscovered”, and sometimes too late. The disorientation also relates to the speed of change. Mills writes:
“The very shaping of history now outpaces the ability of people to orient themselves in accordance with cherished values. Even when they do not panic, people often sense that older ways of feeling and thinking have collapsed and that newer beginnings are ambiguous to the point of stasis.” (Mills, 1959).
Disoriented historical consciousness can manifest as decadence. Decadence is a state of stagnation, complacency, and a lack of forward momentum (Douthat, 2020). It involves a certain pessimism, apathy, and being stuck in repetition.
The “light subject” (historical disorientation, lack of a future), careerism, opportunism. The “light subject” refers to a state in which one has drawn too heavily from the three distinct parts and is consequently more fluid and disoriented. Careerism and opportunism are different approaches to the future that are not grounded in any understanding of history, such as the pursuit of the good life, but rather represent a meaningless quest to increase one’s status through work. The light subject knows little about history and takes no responsibility for future generations, nor does it care about them.
Nostalgic, “heavy subject,” or weighed down by the future. An imbalance here is the “heavy subject,” inspired by Paulsen’s argument that in today’s modern societies, our sense of self carries a different weight because we are so focused on the future and the past, and too little on the present (Paulsen, 2020). All this forward planning, combined with the belief that the past plays a major role in our lives, weighs us down. This contrasts with certain cultures where the past is not seen as relevant (Paulsen, 2020). Nostalgic feelings can arise as a fear of the future due to increasing economic difficulties (Hoshchild, 2024). We look back to a bygone era for guidance and to compare it with the present. However, these nostalgic feelings are not particularly enlightening; when we look back with uncertain memories, we gain no general insight into why things were better, but rather often a confirmation of the views we hold about the present.
Social amnesia: is an imbalance in which important events are forgotten. This forgetfulness makes it difficult for people to orient themselves in the present and plan for the future, since they do not know what has happened before.
“Now-fixation”: Another trend is a focus on the present in the form of “neumania” (news mania) (Taleb, 2012), “atomic consumerism” (Kasser, 2002), “Mcmindfulness” (Purser, 2019), and “liquid identity” (Bauman, 2000). The news mania of always being connected to the latest events has become completely normalized, and if people aren’t consuming news directly, they’re consuming news about what’s happening online on social media. The spread of memes on social media has become a form of news mania: you open the app to see what’s happened today and how various memes have evolved since the last time you checked your phone. Christopher Lasch puts it this way:
“To live for the moment is the prevailing passion, to live for yourself, not for your predecessors or posterity. We are fast losing the sense of historical continuity, the sense of belonging to a succession of generations originating in the past and stretching into the future.” (Lasch, 2018)
This fixation on the present is also expressed in a frenzied, atomized consumerism where people search for the next new thing to buy, the latest outfit or the latest look. People are focused on the present through consumption. Some try to be in the present through mindfulness techniques and yoga. Purser has described what he calls “McMindfulness,” which is a Westernized version of mindfulness practices that strips away the socially revolutionary aspect of mindfulness and fits into an otherwise hectic life, one that is supplemented by a yoga class or two and slow breathing at work (2019).
Overstimulation from various sensory inputs in the present moment causes the individual to become overwhelmed. Simmel’s concept of the “blasé” attitude is one way of reacting to this overstimulation. It can be a constant flow of new information and news (neumania) (Taleb, 2012) that makes it difficult to see beyond the present moment. One becomes fixated on the present and drawn into the vortex of the moment. This overstimulation, in turn, makes it difficult to focus deeply and intently on a single thing in the present. This focus on the present is a disoriented one, in contrast to a calmer and more methodical focus on one task at a time, for example, by being in a state of flow or deeply focused (Newport, 2016).
Reification of time: The future, the present, and the past are reified and frozen into fixed states. This is a relationship to time that is closed off to new interpretations and new approaches. This can apply, for example, to one’s own life, creating narratives that block change. This can cause us to become fixated on a particular story that may be shallow and unhelpful, belittling, or shameful, or that leads us to believe we have no agency or capacity for change. We may hold a similarly reified view of the present. It can feel as though we’ve locked ourselves into a situation from which we cannot escape. If we once had choices, they’ve now disappeared after making a certain decision. This can happen after moving to a new city, or after getting a job in a city that makes it difficult to move, or after having children and feeling stuck in the new role of parent. The future can feel locked in as well. We have a path to follow, without much that’s fun happening along the way. This can arise after we’ve felt that we’ve tried to change our lives but haven’t been very successful at it. We feel that we’re stuck in the same habits, which means the future will likely be more of the same as what has come before.
Apocalypticism (Geraci, 2010) Apocalypticism concerns beliefs and narratives centered on the end of the world or a radical transformation of society. According to Robert Geraci (2010), this phenomenon can be traced in both religious and secular contexts, such as doomsday scenarios in technology and the environment. Apocalypticism is often linked to an idea of salvation or renewal after the catastrophe.