We take time so much for granted, that we forget that as far as our life is concerned, time is something very much abstract. It’s not real. We’re not talking about the mathematical space-time continuum here, we’re talking about awareness of time as an entity, the past, and the future.
The idea of measuring time probably started as a necessity to coordinate activities. It was a convenience, and tool of man. The final purpose was to make the idea of time useful to people.
Nowadays, we see very much the opposite. People centre their lives around time. “Don’t waste your time” is a common refrain. In other words, there is fixed amount of time that people have, and it must be used properly as if we’ll have to give account of it to someone. Surely if my time is my own, I can waste it with a free conscience. This is very difficult to express. If, time is limited, it’s abundantly available. To live for seventy years, is a long, long time. Time is ideally suited for wasting.
Our modern day world drills the importance of time into us. Again I ask. Who is the master, and who is the slave? Is man the slave of time, or is time the slave of man? Time as an everyday theory was created to serve man. And now it’s stature has grown to that of a tyrant. Everything must be done quicker and quicker. And what do we do with this extra time? We try and get even more things done! Goodness gracious, what are we trying to prove? I’m answerable to no-one, and my time is usually best spent by wasting it in enormous amounts.
I’m not necessarily wasting time by enjoying nature or something, though in my opinion, these are admirable pursuits. However, I think, that if we start with the notion of admiring nature, the result is a sort of forced experience. Going out with the intention of having a good time, usually ruins an otherwise lovely trip. Like the Germans planning their holidays down to the last detail, we come back exhausted, trying to fit in as much experience as possible.
No, I don’t intend to spend my time admiring nature, though it happens rather frequently, I spend my time doing exactly what I want. Lying in my room, thinking, or not thinking, eating, browsing aimlessly, and loving it, perfectly content. A wasted afternoon is my idea of a good time, an afternoon where nothing is accomplished, except that I’m the same person. Such an experience is immensely satisfying, and refreshing, taking whatever comes to you. I’m proud of taking things easy in a world which calls such an attitude a sin.