5.1 Time Perception

The Time Perception

Marshall McLuhan states that media change the human perception. We can probably say that any extension causes the perception: Field workers in agroculture age had diferent view on time than factory workers in the beginning of 20th century - which drastically differs from our perception of time. The technology dictates the time, man has to follow.

There are two problems with computers:
 * 1) Computer causes time fragmentation. We are constantly waiting until operation is done (file saving, mail sending, printing, etc...) - but this delays are too short compare to previous delays caused by mechanical devices. These short fragments are useles, wasted.
 * 2) Computer is thinking simulating machine. We can think while driving car or working with another mechanical machine, but we can´t thing about something else when working mentally - serving to mind simulator. Thus the mental perception of time changes drastically.

When the significant part of time is wasted, we are experiencing faster

In the future, when using computers more often, we are going to loose probably more time. There are two ways how to get better:
 * 1) Optimalization. Better ingennering which will cause better computer performance. I am quite sceptical to that - simple comparision of text editor performance 10 years ago and today doesn´t give us any reason for the optimism. yes, it´s slower today. There can be still a littel hope in better future when computers will become biological, closer to human principle...
 * 2) Adaptation. Man can learn how to percieve time completely differently, how to use small fragments of time. It means more like a machine thinking style.