3 ms·
Here is a wikipedia article on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronemics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronemics I am not going to pretend to be able to und
by jlgreco 13y ago
Here is a wikipedia article on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronemics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronemics
I am not going to pretend to be able to understand it, but this part seems to be the most lucid explaination:
"Just as monochronic and polychronic cultures have different time perspectives, understanding the time orientation of a culture is critical to becoming better able to successfully handle diplomatic situations. Americans, for instance have a future orientation. Hall indicates that for Americans “tomorrow is more important" and that they "are oriented almost entirely toward the future” (Cohen, 2004, p. 35). The future-focused orientation attributes to at least some of the concern that Americans have with “addressing immediate issues and moving on to new challenges” (Cohen, 2004, p. 35)."
So... maybe a "future time orientation" is a "What's done is done."/"Let's do better in the future." attitude? I am guessing that the connection between this and "racism" comes up when discussing reparations.
- yummyfajitas 13y agoFuture time orientation is also used to refer to a person having a low discount rate. I.e. suffering the pain of school now is worthwhile if it helps me avoid the pain of being uncredentialed in the future.
- eli_gottlieb 13y agoSo... thinking that people should think ahead is racist?
- elnate 13y agoThey're conflating racism with enthnocentrism, the idea that one culture (usually yours) is better than others.
- jlgreco 13y agoHuh. Well if that is what they mean, then I am at a complete loss as to how that isn't obviously a positive trait.
- ceol 13y agoKind of proves their point, right? The way your culture views something is "obviously a positive trait"?
- jlgreco 13y ago"It is better for you to do things that will benefit you" is practically a fucking tautology. How could that be controversial, let alone racist? Here is what I think; the statement: "saying 'future time orientation is superior' is racist" is itself racist, just like saying, "saying 'the ability to drink water from your cupped hands without drowning yourself is normal' is racist" is itself racist. In other words, you are implying that some appreciation of the value of planning is something that only some cultures possess. That is racist. Consider the possibility that you simply do not understand their goals, and are thus unable to perceive them.
- ceol 13y agoThose two things aren't equal in the slightest. "future time orientation is superior" versus "the ability to drink water from your cupped hands without drowning yourself is normal". > In other words, you are implying that some appreciation of the value of planning is something that only some cultures possess. Actually, it is something only some cultures practice. (Not possess, just practice. Everyone can view time with a perspective in the future, but not all cultures default to that view.) It's just like how some cultures do not distinguish between green and blue colors (or how we do not distinguish between different types of snow.) But no, you go ahead and claim the real racists are the ones examining racism. I'm sure that's not what people backed into a corner do or anything.
- jlgreco 13y ago> Actually, it is something only some cultures practice. > Consider the possibility that you simply do not understand their goals, and are thus unable to perceive them. The ability or willingness to inconvenience yourself at the present in order to achieve something in the future is really a very basic thing. Hence my comparison to the absurd "ability to drink water without drowning yourself". You are accusing them of having a ludicrously extreme shortcoming. This is all nothing more than "mexicans are lazy, germans are great engineers" wrapped up in the trappings of academia.