Summary
The
main theme of this book is the impacts of speed and time optimization on
reality, or more precisely on our modern society. But first, it sets the
background by exploring the physics behind the concepts of speed and time, how
they came about, how we became aware of them, and how did the new world of
speed emerge, and why does it seem to be inescapable? It explores the speed of
light and the speed of sound by linking them to our environment. It introduces
the notion of Arrow of time or entropy,
which grows from the past to the present, is expected to keep growing in the
future, and hypothesizes that this is perhaps why our craving for speed and
time optimization is here to stay with no end in sight. An important point
discussed is that because of memories and experiences, people may choose to
live either in the past, present, or future, which leads to the notions of presentism
and eternalism. The book argues that while for presentists only the
present is real, for eternalists both the past, present, and future are equally
real.
The
book makes the case about speed and time optimization as a legacy of modernity
by laying out the differences between modernism, modernization, and modernity
itself. It shows how modernity is all about the now or the present, rather than
the past and, how, as such, it’s all about the new. So then, the changes that
are now happening in our modern world can be traced back to a segment of
history that dates back to the beginning of modernity, that is, which began
with the Protestant Reformation and, is now rapidly approaching closure in the
world of today’s extreme finance. It argues about the technological
implications of speed and time in the 21st century. It shows how
technology has become an integral part of human existence and that it is
inconceivable one can even think of escaping it. This Part III of the
series shows the link between high-speed trading and faster connectivity and
faster computers. It shows how, thanks to the Internet, information became
freely accessible and is spreading faster and faster. It shows how supercomputers
not only allow people to address the biggest and most complex problems, they
also allow people to solve problems faster, even those that could fit on
servers or clusters of PCs. This rapid time to solution is critical in some
aspects of emergency preparedness and national defense, where the solutions
produced are only valuable if they can be acted on in a timely manner.
Finally, the social
and psychological implications of speed and time in the 21st century are also
addressed by considering the upside and the downside of moving fast, meaning
leading a fast-paced life. The argument presented in the book is based on the
analysis and the importance of stress in our daily lives and also explains the
notion of chronobiology. Our biological clocks drive our circadian rhythms. An
interesting point is that blind people may not perceive time the same way as
the non-blind. Furthermore, the book shows how we perceive time differently as
we age compared to when we were young. It also makes the case for the
perception of time in dreams and in real life. Speed and time optimization may
be deceiving, according to this Part III of the series. This can be proven by
questions such as, (1) Is going over the speed limit really worth it? and (2)
Is the saying “Slow down to go faster” a paradox?
Abstract
Speed and Time. These two notions are changing
our world and our reality, and we all are the instigators. We all have a part
to play in that transformation. There is no escaping it. We have to be
prepared. However, the problem is, it is a change, and, by nature, we are
resistant to change. But change, especially in relation to speed and time is
not to be overlooked. Rushing to save time. Is that true? One would think that
a fast-paced lifestyle would lead to more time available. This is far from
being the case. Time has become a luxury in our modern world. Lack of time
affects almost everybody and every family. Research has found that people with
high incomes feel particularly short on time. We live in an ever-accelerating
world: faster computers, markets, food, fashion, product cycles, minds, bodies,
kids, lives. When did everything start
moving so fast? Why does speed seem so inevitable? Is faster always better? Speed is
fascinating, but why are humans fascinated with speed? Today, we are
integrating machines more and more into our ways of life. We feel more and more
comfortable to let machines think and act for us. However, speed and time
optimization are necessary for the mechanism of our evolution. Speed and time
optimization are linked to modernity. The dynamics of speed and time in our
society is something we inherited from past generations. Technology and
industrialization play an important role in the way we socially approach time. How
do you know what you’re doing is a good use of your time? Does this task really
need to be done? What causes you to waste time? What do you want to do more
with more time? What do you want to spend less time doing? How do you manage
your time and prioritize tasks? Is proper time management increase your
productivity? What if time was an illusion? The answers to these questions, of
course, will vary from one person to the next. The evolution and the
progressive increase of Speed and Time and its impacts on our modern world
gives rise to two categories of observers: the proponents of the idea that we
should keep moving faster and faster and the opponents or those who think we
should, instead, slow down. In that regard, this book shows the various
benefits of speed and time and also their disadvantages. Then, it brings an
answer to the question, Is there a happy medium between the two views?
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