Daylight Saving Time — Now that it’s been a couple of weeks, do you still despise the time change?
I was going write this post two weeks ago right after the time change, but why jump on that wagon?
It was your classic dogpile—one rant piled on top of another.
Here’s how it works, life was going along just fine (okay, okay, we haven’t been going along just fine in quite some time. Can we go with that anyway?) And you were minding your own business, then BOOM! With the flip of the calendar, Daylight Saving Time inflicted its wrath upon you and the rest of the world. On your biorhythms. (You remember biorhythms, don’t you?)
So in the spring, you become a zombie from sleep deprivation…
And in the fall it’s suddenly dark by mid-afternoon, why can’t they just leave things alone? Well, I have a theory about that…
You see, an evil government force is scheming to keep us off our game. Think about it. Oh man, could I ever have fun with crafting a Daylight Saving Time conspiracy theory… But let’s not.
More on my actual theory in a moment…
Why do people despise the Daylight Saving Time change so much?
What if we’re barking up the wrong tree? I believe it’s all a matter of terminology, and we’re complaining about the wrong villain. It’s not switching to Daylight Saving Time that inflicts the pain, it’s switching back to Standard Time!
Do we get hung up just because something changed? It’s a big change, mind you. So of course, it’s the changing part that’s really at issue if you get right down to it.
Imagine what the space aliens are thinking!
Although, I wouldn’t worry about that, I’m fairly certain they’ve checked the ☑️ No intelligent life found box long, long ago.
Changes in the rhythms and routines of everyday life always hurt more and take us longer to make the adjustment. Then, as always, we humans devise a way to overdo everything. Plus—we have to do it twice each year. But wait! If that’s not enough, we rinse and repeat each and every year thereafter.
The time change hurts a lot at first as it screws up our inner clocks for at least a week—all that long before we get to enjoy any of the benefits.
At least in the fall when the time changes, we get the reward of an extra hour of sleep! There’s that… But what’s up with the sun going down in the middle of the afternoon?
Standard Time amplifies the pain of winter by ushering in nighttime halfway through the afternoon.”
— Mark Joseph Stern, on Slate.com
I remember, my dad blamed the golfers… Daylight Saving Time was a big conspiracy pulled off at his expense just so golfers could get an extra round in after work.
Is the angst centered around the idea itself?
Remember that theory I mentioned earlier? Well here goes… I believe we don’t like Daylight Saving Time for three simple reasons.
First, the payoff for the immediate pain and disruption from the time change trickles in bit by bit over the course of the spring and summer? Too much time passes so we fail to connect the dots to those amazing times in the backyard, out at the ballpark, or at the beach with that awful disruption in March.
Second, we’ve allowed our lives to become so saturated with the flurry of everyday living that we’re no longer able to enjoy the extra hour of sunlight each evening. Maybe we should think about fixing that problem too?
And finally, the real problem isn’t created by Daylight Saving Time itself. The changing back every fall, teased by the short-lived instant gratification of an extra hour of pillow time, well there lies the true villain in this saga.
Unless of course, you you really do like those afternoon sunsets in December.
Embrace the extra daylight and enjoy your summer… I’m thinking it’s going to be a good one!
Be untucked.
p. s. To my early rising friends… You don’t get a vote in this matter because it’s going to be dark whatever insane hour you choose to rise.
p.p.s. Oh! One last thing, if you enjoyed this post be sure to share it with a friend. Use the Share-Buttons at the top or the bottom of the post. Thanks, I owe you one.
Copyright © 2021 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved
People just like to have a reason to argue I for one prefer the time setting now. Out here in the Midwest I think the animals are confused more than anything. In the early morning the deer or a big issue we are now inviting their time of movement in the morning also in the evening. Life goes on we are just I’ll to do it over again this fall.
You’re right, Mike… our fairy godmother could appear and grant our every desire and someone will complain about her pink attire!
Thanks for solving this mystery!
Good read.
Thanks, Lou! I only wish I could fix it ;+)