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drawing a balance between individual and communal time

Last updated Jan 25, 2023

Time is a “networked good”. It is only useful when used in conjunction with others (much like a telephone). Time is not useful if you are have to experience it all by yourself. This has become evident after the rise of digital nomadism, where people found that they could work from anywhere, but without a sense of community, life was less meaningful.

The USSR developed staggered work schedules so that factories could run 24/7/365. But employees’ time was fragmented so that they could not spend it with their family, and this resulting in significant unhappiness

Instead, Sweden has the concept of fika, where people get together at a prescribed time for coffee and cake. This is an important part of their daily routine, and ensures that time is spent in a communal fashion.

Similarly, singing in a choir, doing drills, and communal prayers all gives time a sense of slowly down for everyone involved, it can truly infuse meaning into life.

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