"Ever notice how some older folks treat being five minutes early like it's a sacred law? My grandmother was one of them. She'd arrive at doctor's appointments twenty minutes ahead of schedule, sitting in the waiting room with her purse on her lap, watching the clock like she was guarding something precious. Three years after she passed, I still have her handwritten letters, each one dated precisely, mailed exactly when she promised they would."
"1) Respect for others' time as currency Growing up, the older generation learned that time was the one thing you couldn't get back. Wasting someone else's time wasn't just inconsiderate; it was almost theft. They lived in an era where if you missed the bus, you might wait an hour for the next one. If you were late to a movie, you missed the beginning, period. No pause button, no rewind."
Many older adults prioritize punctuality as a core value rooted in scarcity of time and high opportunity costs. Habitual early arrival and precise mailing reflected discipline and commitment to promises. Past experiences with fixed schedules — long waits for the next bus, irreversible missed movie beginnings — fostered a sense that wasting time was almost theft. Punctuality became a measure of character and respect for others. Contemporary norms of casual lateness and instant messaging clashes with these principles, causing real emotional responses when plans shift. These ingrained norms influence behavior, judgments, and expectations in relationships and daily routines.
Read at Silicon Canals
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