On page 138 of The Theory Toolbox, the authors state that “the social meanings we assign to spaces and times and the ways they are organized or produced in the material world tend to reproduce the existing social order”. What social meanings have you given to space and time and how do you think this has affected the way you view society? Can our definitions of space and time sufficiently measure human experiences? If not, then why do we try to do so anyway?
ENGL 299 | Intro to English Studies
Dr. Myra Seaman | Spring 2017
In the “The Theory Toolbox” the authors use the example power transitions within countries to relate time/space to social order stating, “according to Foucault, the simultaneous transition from monarchical to parliamentary rule and from feudalism to industrialism posed new challenges for the imposition of social order over large populations” (128). For a modern approach to this interpretation, using the toolbox’s reference to the rise of hip-hop culture on page 131, an example of social meaning given to space and time could be the rise of reality/ social media culture. As space and time develop to reach things faster, the speed of the internet and its accessibility has given way to a new culture based on this speed between space and time. Through social media one can feel as if they are in a location through a click of a button, also people are able to interact with others as if they are close friends, when they have never met in person. For social media culture, I think it affects my view of society by creating a false sense of sociability. I think it is possible that through a cyber social life, a tangible social life can be diminished. I do not think that our definitions of space and time could measure human experience because everyone’s definitions of space and time is unique to themselves; perhaps, we try to do this because through the process we feel that time and space can become concrete, rather than something that is fluid.
The book mentions a few times how personal perspective, socialtal changes, and technological advances influence how people experience space and time. What comes to mind as an example is actually a bit from Dana Carvey’s recent stand up. He talks about how the stuff millennials are good at, how we are really smart at somethings, particularly networking, but also how we are completely crippled by the same technology that allows that type of communication because our parents are literally within arms reach at all times. The example he gives is, say, the heat in some dudes apartment breaks, he calls his mom, his mom says, “you ought call your landlord.” kid sighs and says, “I’m not real good at calling landlords. Can you do it?” this relates back to the topic of the week in how much of a difference between just two generations. I’d hate to imagine the shock of someone used to horse and buggy if they ended up in the 2010s.