Podcast Summary
Exploring the Impact of Time Units on History and Community: Questioning traditional time units can lead to new insights about history and community connections.
Our perception of time and the units we use to organize our lives can significantly impact how we view history and shape our communities. Doctor Laurie Santos encourages building stronger neighborhood connections through Neighbor to Neighbor, a California volunteers network. Meanwhile, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick from Stuff to Blow Your Mind ponder the origins and implications of the 7-day week. In high school, Robert had a thought-provoking question about why we use decades and centuries to understand history, and this idea ties into their upcoming series on the history of the week. This food for thought emphasizes the importance of questioning the norms and considering how different time units might influence our perspectives and daily lives.
The week: A human-made construct of time: The week, a seven-day cycle, is a human invention with no clear astronomical basis but holds historical, cultural, and religious significance.
Our perception of time is shaped by both natural phenomena and cultural inventions. The major units of time, such as days, years, and months, have astronomical origins. However, the seven-day week is a human invention with no clear astronomical basis. While we can find patterns in numbers and numerical relationships, not all of them hold significant meaning. The week serves historical, cultural, and religious purposes, rather than being an approximation of something naturally occurring in the world. It's essential to remember that our understanding of time is a blend of observations from the natural world and human-made constructs.
The 7-day week: A cultural construct shaping our lives: The 7-day week is an artificial construct that influences our daily experiences and brain function, despite being a widely accepted part of our lives.
The 7-day week, a fundamental structure of our lives, is not a natural fact but an emergent cultural construct. Despite its ubiquity, it raises questions about its origins, universality, and impact on our brains and daily experiences. The pandemic-induced shift to remote work sparked jokes about losing track of days, but the weekly calendar mindset generally remains strong. The 7-day week shapes our lives into recurring blocks, and its absence would be difficult to imagine. Scholars like David Henkin from UC Berkeley have explored its cultural precedents and effects, revealing the artificiality of this seemingly necessary weekly rhythm.
Disruption of weekly routines affects reckoning with days of the week: The disruption of regular weekly activities, not telecommuting itself, may contribute to people feeling uncertain about which day of the week it is during the pandemic
The disruption of normal weekly routines and rituals, rather than telecommuting itself, may have contributed to people feeling unsure of which day of the week it is during the pandemic. According to the discussion, telecommuting primarily affects the division of time within the day, not across the span of a week. However, when regular weekly activities like social gatherings, classes, or religious services were disrupted, it likely had a strong impact on people's ability to reckon with the weekly cycle. This disruption could be due to the shift from scheduled, appointment television to on-demand or algorithmically supplied media. The discussion also suggests that for some, this disruption may not be a new phenomenon but rather a gradual trend that has been happening for years.
Exploring the Origins of the 7-Day Week and Other Topics: A study suggests our 7-day biological rhythms may be endogenous, while Neighbor to Neighbor promotes community building, Astepro offers allergy relief, and Apple Card provides cashback rewards
Despite the cultural invention of a 7-day week, there might be biological connections to this concept. A paper published in the Journal of Chronobiology International in 2016 explored the origins, synchronization, functional advantage, adaptive value, and clinical relevance of 7-day human biological rhythms. The authors concluded that neither cosmic nor earth-born signals appear strong enough to give rise to these rhythms, but the evidence suggests they may be endogenous in origin. During the discussion, we also learned about Neighbor to Neighbor, a California volunteer network that encourages community building and social bonds. The network empowers individuals to help their neighbors and prepare for natural disasters. Another topic touched upon was Astepro, a fast-acting nasal allergy spray that provides relief from symptoms such as congestion, runny and itchy nose, and sneezing. Astepro is the first and only 24-hour steroid-free allergy spray, making it a valuable option for those suffering from allergies. Lastly, we discussed Apple Card, a cashback rewards credit card that offers up to 3% daily cash on every purchase, making it an attractive option for consumers looking to earn rewards on their everyday spending. Overall, the conversation covered various topics, from the potential biological origins of the 7-day week to community building and allergy relief, as well as the benefits of using Apple Card for cashback rewards.
The 7-day week: a fundamental way to organize time: The 7-day week, with its distinct weekdays and weekends, influences our work-life balance, cultural practices, and personal interpretations.
The 7-day week is a fundamental way we organize time, with weekdays and weekends serving as distinct blocks for work and leisure, and each day having its unique character. The researchers suggest that this 7-day cycle may have biological roots, but its impact on humans and other organisms could also be influenced by environmental factors. Hinken further explains that the week helps us categorize days into different types and individuate each day, leading to various cultural and personal interpretations. For instance, some people view Friday as a celebration day, while others may see it as a stressful crunch day. Overall, the 7-day week plays a significant role in how we structure our lives and perceive time.
People have distinct feelings towards different days of the week, with Mondays being dreaded and Fridays being looked forward to.: A study found that people are more likely to confuse midweekdays and have the strongest negative emotions towards Mondays and strongest positive emotions towards Fridays.
People's perception and feelings towards different days of the week, particularly Mondays and Fridays, are not just Garfield's imagination. A study published in PLOS 1 in 2015 by David Ellis, Richard Wiseman, and Rob Jenkins, called "Mental Representations of Weekdays," found that people are more likely to confuse midweekdays (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) for different days than other days. Additionally, people's reaction times were fastest on Mondays and Fridays, suggesting that these days are the most consciously represented in our brains. Furthermore, people had the least semantic associations with midweekdays and felt the strongest negative emotions towards Mondays and the strongest positive emotions towards Fridays. These findings validate the common experience that Mondays are dreaded and Fridays are looked forward to. The study also highlights the linear and narrative approach we have towards understanding time and our lives, with each week having a beginning, middle, and end.
The week as a framework for organizing our lives: The week is a crucial concept that provides a framework for categorizing days, organizing memories, and scheduling recurring events.
The week plays a significant role in how we organize our lives. It provides a framework for categorizing days, allowing us to mentally travel and conceptualize time. Weeks give us blocks of 7 days to organize our memories and anticipation of the near future. They also serve as a scheduling device for recurring events that need to happen roughly once every week. The Cure's song "Friday I'm in Love" touches on this idea, expressing the anticipation and love for the weekend. Overall, the week is an essential concept that helps us navigate and make sense of our daily lives.
Identity theft: A growing concern with 15 million victims per year: Protect your identity with proactive measures like LifeLock's alerts and restoration services. Rest is also crucial for peace of mind and well-being.
Identity theft is a significant issue in the US, with a new victim emerging every 3 seconds, equating to over 15 million people per year. This alarming statistic highlights the importance of proactive measures to protect one's identity. LifeLock, an identity theft protection service, offers alerts for potential threats, even those not appearing on credit reports, and provides dedicated restoration specialists to help victims recover. While the origins of the 7-day week are complex, it's believed to have grown out of a combination of Roman astronomical practices and Jewish observance of the Sabbath. This historical background underscores the significance of taking rest seriously, whether for religious or personal reasons. In the modern world, safeguarding your identity and ensuring your peace of mind are essential components of a well-rounded lifestyle. To learn more about LifeLock and save up to 25% on your first year, visit lifelockdot.com/iheart. For deals on home and wardrobe refreshes, visit ddsdiscounts.com.
The origins of the weekly observance may not have linear explanations: Weekly observances may have started as rituals, reflecting myths or economic considerations, and the concept of a week might have originated from market needs and astronomical significance
The origins of the weekly observance in various calendar systems, such as the Sabbath in the Jewish tradition and the possible relation to ancient Mesopotamian practices, may not have been based on linear, historical explanations. Instead, the significance of these traditions lies in their reflection and mythologization. Rituals often predate the myths or stories that explain them. Additionally, the concept of a week, or a block of days for practical purposes, could have arisen from economic considerations, such as the time it takes to harvest and sell produce. The market week, which refers to this idea, may have originated from the need to ensure the freshness of food and the efficiency of trade. This theory is supported by historical evidence, suggesting that the weekly cycle was likely adapted from longer periods to accommodate market connections and the astronomical significance of the number 7.
The Evolution of the Week: From Etruscan to Modern: The 7-day week we use today originated in Italy around the 8th or 7th centuries BCE, but other weekly cycles like the 12-day Chinese week existed. Cultural and psychological factors influenced the division and length of the week.
The concept of a week and its length has varied throughout history, with different cultures using different lengths of market cycles, including 3, 7, 10, and 12 days. The 7-day week that is commonly used today emerged during the 8th or 7th centuries BCE in Italy as part of an Etruscan time reckoning system. However, before the 7-day week was fully adopted, multiple week cycles coexisted. The Chinese 12-day week is an example of a weekly cycle that served to regulate economic transactions. The Etruscan system would later influence the Roman system, which in turn influenced the modern 7-day week. The length and division of the week have cultural and psychological significance, and people often associate certain days with specific energies or meanings. The week is divided into Monday for listener mail, Tuesday for a core episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Wednesday for Artifactor or Monster Fact, Thursday for another core episode, Friday for Weird House Cinema, and Saturday for a Vault episode.
Building strong community connections is essential: Join Neighbor to Neighbor to help build connections, stay informed with TMI, and switch to Visible for affordable wireless
Building strong community connections is essential in an uncertain world. Neighbor to Neighbor, a California volunteer network, emphasizes the importance of relying on the people around us to create meaningful social bonds and prepare for emergencies. This organization encourages lending a helping hand to neighbors in need and standing together during natural disasters. To learn more about Neighbor to Neighbor and how you can help build a more connected community, visit ca neighbors.com. Additionally, staying informed and engaged with current issues is crucial for pushing our culture forward and making the world a better place. TMI, hosted by Tamika D. Mallory and The General, provides insightful discussions on social and civil rights issues, pop culture, and politics every Wednesday on the Black Effect Network. Listen to TMI on the Black Effect Podcast Network, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Moreover, Visible, the wireless company that makes wireless transparent, offers a one-line plan with unlimited 5G data for just $25 a month, making wireless more accessible and affordable. With no hidden fees, switching to Visible is a clear choice for those looking to upgrade their wireless plan. Visit visible.com for more information.
