Ecology of Time: Time as Integrative and Disintegrative Factor

Abstract

The work places emphasis on (a) the importance of some terms in the ecology of time with regards to socioecological research (irreversibility, rhythm, tempo, speed, time sovereignty, ecological timeprint, measure of time), (b) time as the medium of (dis)integrative processes and (c) the need to slow down the tempo of life and social changes. The main thesis is that the problems (in the environment and social) arise due to the clash between two dimensions of time and their rhythms – the rhythm in nature (natural) and the rhythm in society (cultural). The clash arises because of the intentional tendency of modern society to separate social (cultural) time from natural time, to separate social time and social rhythm from the human being, and to subordinate natural rhythm and natural forms of time to time and accelerated rhythm of contemporary society. Through universal time contemporary society integrates different cultures and attempts to integrate nature into society through the domination of social time. At the same time its actions are culturally disintegrating. In order to decelerate the tempo a radical reorientation of postmodern society is needed, it is necessary for it to accept the dynamics of the relation between natural and social systems, and their different time perspectives on the level of individual and social actions.