Punctuality Paradox

                    Punctuality is the psychological consequence of technological and social change occurred in our lives. We have been changing the definition and dimension of punctuality from time to time.  Punctuality becomes selective and situational.

                     In our earlier civilization, agricultural work was the dominating work culture.  It was dominant but not based on so much inter dependency as modern work. So if a worker was late for his or her work, it did not put any significant pressure on the entire work. When society moved forward, the bureaucratic structure was the ideal type for all most all work cultures and punctuality became a rule. Still it has been a rule.  Hierarchical structure, report on time, dependency and productivity have made punctuality as a cultural value, individual attitude and moral pressure. It is more than just a rule to adhere.  Officials, workers, students and middle class have re-calibrated their ethics with punctuality as a doctrine for disciplined lifestyle.

                New technological changes create a new class i.e Cyber Class. Some sociologists call this class as Cyber Coolies. This class redefines the concept punctuality.  Nine-to-five job is a myth for this class. This class has all the permission to use computers for their official uses at any time, round the clock and overall at their own will also. Some extent performance and hierarchical pressure are responsible for this.  Job done, client satisfaction, on a client calls are the prevailing factors which craft a causal attitude by techies towards time, particularly for punctuality. If a techie goes to office by 9 AM and returns to home by 10 PM, don’t be surprised or next day if he or she goes to office by 12 PM and comes to home 8 PM, don’t be surprised again. It is the new definition of punctuality now.

                 Yes, punctuality is really essential for a civilized society. It should be a habit, courtesy and value. According to Mahatma Gandhi, we need to cultivate the habit of punctuality and acting according to program; the index of national efficiency will go up. But espionage on punctuality is a new official trend now. It has put up punctuality into the cycle of fear. Surprisingly, the young masses make the punctuality situational and conditional as like they treat conventional morality. That means we use punctuality and morality whenever and wherever we need on the basis of particular situation and context.