How Time Is Perceived Differently In Different Cultures
Beauty, health, age, success, failure and numerous other ideas are perceived differently in different cultures.
Talking about time, we always look ‘forward’ to the future while we look ‘back’ on our childhood. However, in some cultures events of the past are in the ‘front’ as they are ‘known’, whereas future events are ‘behind’ as they are ‘unknown’.
That’s not all.
While we believe that we ‘move towards’ the future events, in some cultures it’s believed that we are stationary and ‘future events’ approach us.
Isn’t it interesting how spatial conceptions of time are perceived differently in different cultures ?
Which other examples you know of ?
P.S.: Writing this post reminds me of an amazing book — The Culture Code — by G. Clotaire Rapaille which I read a couple years ago. Right from America’s fast food culture to Japan’s skillful art of perfecting sushi-making and from an athletic body symbolizing beauty in one country to being massy symbolizing prosperity in some, the book gives many interesting revelations. Do grab this book for a read on how different ideas have different cultural connotations.
