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Must a calendar only represent the physical positions of heavenly bodies? What happens after we propagate to other planets? Why should there be only one calen

Must a calendar only represent the physical positions of heavenly bodies? What happens after we propagate to other planets? Why should there be only one calendar? Why can’t we have, say, a Social Calendar alongside a Astronomical Calendar? We could have a sane, logical calendar with even and regular divisions for determining working days, holidays, financial calculations and political durations etc. And there could be another calendar for the galactic rotation, orbital period, lunar cycle etc. that only people who need to care about such things would use (astronomers, farmers).

Ruthalas 6y ago
I tend to agree with the concept, but you'd probably have to address holidays that are season-specific. Perhaps 'Christmas is always in the third winter time-block', or something to that effect.
- Razengan 6y ago
  Yes, “floating” holidays are already a thing, so some of them would just have to be tied to the astronomical calendar instead of the social calendar.
- rodgerd 6y ago
  () Your solution shows you don't understand hemispheres or seasons.
  - Razengan 6y ago
    () Your solution shows you don't understand hemispheres or seasons. I don't. Who does?? When was the last time a city dweller needed to worry about where the Earth or moon was? Things we do need to know: • How many days in a row do I have to work • When do I get my next paycheck • When is X product coming out • How long do we have to put up with X politician • When should I plan a vacation • When will it get colder or warmer Except for maybe the last 2 questions, all of the above can be answered by a calendar that has nothing to do with astronomy whatsoever. Farmers and scientists can continue to use the astronomical calendar of their choice. Perhaps make one that is specifically designed for them, in maybe a S%.M% format, where S% is the percentage of Earth's solar orbital period we are currently at, and M% is the moon's orbit. For the rest of us ordinary folk, we would be fine with a "Human Calendar" that is simply a cycle of working days <-> weekends, with some holidays thrown in every N weeks. Say a 4/2 or 4/3 (work/rest) day week, 4 weeks in a Human Month, and an 8-10 day holiday every 3 such months. A Human Year could be the equivalent of 9 or 10 months of the current calendar, the average duration a new person takes from conception to birth. :)
Natsu 6y ago
> What happens after we propagate to other planets? Relativity will become a pain and we'll have significant lag on communications to the tune of several minutes within the Sol star system and years for anywhere else, so you'd end up using asynchronous communication like email, workdays would be based on local conditions (and likely not map to a local day on some planets), etc.
jhanschoo 6y ago
Before considering abolishing the calendar perhaps consider abolishing DST, or the imperial system. The solar and lunar cycles, and day/night are important forces that life on earth have to work around; interplanetary civilization will not abolish the need for a calendar on Earth.
- Razengan 6y ago
  Where did you see a motion to abolish the calendar?

Ruthalas 6y ago

I tend to agree with the concept, but you'd probably have to address holidays that are season-specific. Perhaps 'Christmas is always in the third winter time-block', or something to that effect.

Razengan 6y ago
Yes, “floating” holidays are already a thing, so some of them would just have to be tied to the astronomical calendar instead of the social calendar.
rodgerd 6y ago
() Your solution shows you don't understand hemispheres or seasons.
- Razengan 6y ago
  () Your solution shows you don't understand hemispheres or seasons. I don't. Who does?? When was the last time a city dweller needed to worry about where the Earth or moon was? Things we do need to know: • How many days in a row do I have to work • When do I get my next paycheck • When is X product coming out • How long do we have to put up with X politician • When should I plan a vacation • When will it get colder or warmer Except for maybe the last 2 questions, all of the above can be answered by a calendar that has nothing to do with astronomy whatsoever. Farmers and scientists can continue to use the astronomical calendar of their choice. Perhaps make one that is specifically designed for them, in maybe a S%.M% format, where S% is the percentage of Earth's solar orbital period we are currently at, and M% is the moon's orbit. For the rest of us ordinary folk, we would be fine with a "Human Calendar" that is simply a cycle of working days <-> weekends, with some holidays thrown in every N weeks. Say a 4/2 or 4/3 (work/rest) day week, 4 weeks in a Human Month, and an 8-10 day holiday every 3 such months. A Human Year could be the equivalent of 9 or 10 months of the current calendar, the average duration a new person takes from conception to birth. :)

Natsu 6y ago

> What happens after we propagate to other planets? Relativity will become a pain and we'll have significant lag on communications to the tune of several minutes within the Sol star system and years for anywhere else, so you'd end up using asynchronous communication like email, workdays would be based on local conditions (and likely not map to a local day on some planets), etc.

jhanschoo 6y ago

Before considering abolishing the calendar perhaps consider abolishing DST, or the imperial system. The solar and lunar cycles, and day/night are important forces that life on earth have to work around; interplanetary civilization will not abolish the need for a calendar on Earth.

Razengan 6y ago
Where did you see a motion to abolish the calendar?