Time Horizon

DocBrain recently learned a new phrase: time horizon. As I understand it, this is the time frame in which you look at your life, not the dreaming time but the actual planning ahead and focusing time. It helps to explain much of the behavior of people that previously DocBrain just did not understand. DocBrain used to think people were just bad at math, but that did not explain everything. The concept of time horizon adds the missing piece. In addition, time horizons tend to have cultural underpinnings and explains much of the outcome of groups of people.

Some cultures have long time horizons as part of their nature. Jewish children learn by age 6 that, in 7 years, they will have to go through a rite of passage where they will be expected to have proficiency in a foreign language and in religious rules and literature, and will have to demonstrate this in front of a group of people. Over the years, many hours are spent in study instead of playing with friends. This habit of self-denial for a distant goal becomes a habit. Other groups have similar habits or traditions, leading to the focus on distant goals with shorter term sacrifice. This push can be in learning, investment, work, athletics or in the arts. The goal in each case is to take one's innate abilities and to make them of value to self and society.

Examples of the opposite are quite common. Most who resort to criminal activity do not have a long time horizon. Similarly for most addicts, depressives and people at the low end of the education and work pyramids.

Without parental and societal influence, children and teens have the most trouble with long time horizons. Those who are not pushed and prodded, aided and abetted by their parents and their subculture, often will not have the internal drive to persevere in pursuit of a long term goal. The habit of shorter term sacrifice for long term benefit is the underpinning of success, especially if continued throughout a lifetime.