Meditations on Time
The nature of the beast may surprise you!
Monday, February 8
Time, defying traditional linear understanding, has a probabilistic nature (this probability is a loose-mathematical attempt to capture the inner machinations of time, as such it is not determinately probability based but rather a more complex fluidity best described rhizomatically). A cloud of events (23 Dimensional), only understood, mapped, by us in what we would visualize as lines. An oversimplified image follows:
The black dots represent individual moments, countless, and the yellow line is our rudimentary (5 Dimensional) linear mapping, what we understand as our “timeline.” The cylindrical structure is simply artist’s interpretation, the true shape of time cannot be known. There, naturally, exists infinitely many probable timelines. As such, “progress” is not taking us towards a projected perfected humanity as many STEM-brains imply, but instead is a mere selected chain of events in this cloud. When analyzing past and future the best we can possible do is to view this particular chain of events as a singular “line,” used here as a nod to the commonly held mapping, but in reality this chain can be circular, looped, twisted, corked, etc.
The narrow, linear view of time carries with it a slew of disastrous consequences, most presently seen in perceptions of individual fulfillment. Capitalists impose linearity, more so take advantage of Western inclination towards such thinking, and uses it to strictly enforce productivity; there are the obvious examples of factory schedules, bells, stopwatches, train timetables, etc., but more drastically, long term plans are reduced to paths of productivity, career oriented goals that dictate life choices. Like a walk along a hiking trail, the worker today has an entire linear progression mapped out from birth to labor. This patently false dimensionally simpler geometry projected onto time naturally leads to fulfillment anxiety.
Anxiety over being “unproductive,” over losing precious work opportunities, over enjoying too much your time spent on “frivolous” activities—the list continues. Our free-time becomes time to prepare for work or work-oriented activities such as school, interviews, applications, and so on. In other words, our free-time becomes time to labor towards becoming a laborer. Bourgeoise require this, using it to tighten its vice-like grip around workers. In fact, recognizing the moment-to-moment linkage of time implies a more nefarious notion: people can manipulate the world to ensure that a certain moment will occur, mapping them out in such a way that perpetuates desired futures. A passing moment will make the next more “likely” to pass which ensures the next will be added to the list… a daisy-chain of moments strung together creating a forward momentum ensuring the chain will grow and grow.
Saving ourselves from this hellish sequence is the fact that no one can consciously determine which events will chain together. Because everyone is both subject and object, a superstructure emerges, cosmic physics lying responsible opposed to malicious actors—a whole greater than its parts that no individual bit can understand. Because of this, why bother? This, in fact, should be more uplifting than any cope as it implies that living is the most productive use of time, living fast, dying hard. Quit laboring towards becoming a laborer and live a little! There’s a lot of praxis to be discussed here, will be discussed in future meditations. As for now, we leave you with this: start in the middle and live real fast.