Revising the Living Longer, Thinking Shorter Paradox = Peace of Mind

“Modern life has fundamentally and paradoxically changed our sense of time. Even as we live longer, we seem to think shorter… For a variety of reasons, everything is happening much faster, and [many] more things are happening” writes Esther Dyson, the founding chairman of ICANN, the organization overseeing internet domain names. The dead spots of walking to work (No iPod), running errands or driving to a business appointment (No cell phones), simply twiddling away time (No Twitter) or just generations ago when darkness actually deterred reading all no longer exist except through conscious individual choice. The 1950’s Work Simplification Roundtable in the U.S. defined this as The Activity Trap and today in contrast we celebrate it as interactivity.

Can (and indeed should) definitions be developed to modulate this rush to a state of constant information occupancy and relational dialogue? How might a more grounded society deal with the apparent absence of “mental immunity”?

This project team will involve considerable research and begin by first developing and then applying a series of definitions to reorder time management across select fields as diverse as 'highly structured' Healthcare and 'loosely aligned' Civil Society - ranging from philanthropy to a myriad of self-directed organizations. Ironically, this can only be accomplished collaboratively by members pitching in effort during their off-cycle time.

This potential project is in the proposal stage. Your thoughts are sought to further flush it out, better define the charter or jettison it altogether. Let Open4Definition know what you think [and soon… okay?].

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