An aspect of American culture that I have realized is quite unique is the mindset of not wanting to waste one’s time. This attitude is not only understood from the second person’s point of view but is also expected of oneself. Most American’s likeminded value of time is because of the instillation of the simple expression “time is money”. This expression comes from one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin, and has been an expression instilled in America’s youth since its inception in 1748 when Franklin wrote this in a book.
To be punctual is one of the highest forms of respect that can be paid, because of the idea that one values their business and them as a person. In 11th-grade economics class, I was taught that time is viewed as a limited resource and that the future can only be better if time in the present is used constructively for future-oriented tasks. Opportunity cost is also something that Americans value highly – “what am I giving up to carry out this task”. Even though this can be viewed in a self-fulfilling manner, it is an integral part of American society and is the basis for decision-making for most. This ideal, arguably, comes from the capitalistic mindset apart of American society. The point here is that Americans value an organized individual that values time as much as the next and this conveys a message of trust.
Based on my understanding of Italian culture, time is viewed more liberally. We in the United States value our time as mentioned, but Italians view their time much differently. In Italy, people enjoy taking their time and enjoying the moments daily. Each aspect of life is much slower-paced. The best example of this would be the afternoon rest time. Another example that has been explained to me by my Italian language and culture professor is that; if someone was in a rush to get to class but someone they know stopped them to talk with them about something, the individual would stay to talk and risk being late to class, with the professor having a mutual understanding of the culture. In Italy, many businesses and people enjoy taking a few hours off during the late hours of the day. This typically occurs between 3-5 pm, which is known as siesta. Because of this, Italians eat dinner a bit later, after 7 pm. Due to dinner being late, this means that Italians spend more time out every evening socializing. I am looking forward to immersing myself in the Italian culture because of this social-time aspect.
As I prepare to depart for Italy, I am excited to enjoy each day. In the United States, I often feel as if dinners and social events occur too early in the evenings. In Italy, I am looking forward to a more extended day. Eating dinner later will allow me more time to work on homework before dinner. As weird as it sounds, I often do not feel I have enough time before my evenings to do homework. Additionally, this evening’s rest and more liberal pace will allow me to be more rested to enjoy the time with my friends. I prefer to eat dinner later in the evening and have a more relaxed pace in life.
In conclusion, Americans have a strong sense of punctuality, which can be seen in pretty much all aspects of culture, from second-person interactions to expectations of oneself. Italians, in general, have a more relaxed view when it comes to time. If something comes up, there is no stopping an Italian from enjoying their meantime, while they are putting their main event on pause.
