O tempo é elemento constantemente presente. Numerosas disciplinas estudam o passado, seja ele o das culturas, sociedades, economias e civilizações — conhecido por meio de documentos e monumentos ou objetos antigos ou, pelo contrário, da natureza cognoscível, graças a fósseis ou a restos inorgânicos. Por outro lado, procura-se conhecer antecipadamente o futuro praticando a adivinhação ou a planificação, perscrutando o sentido em direção ao qual se supõe que se dirija a história, estudando os períodos já
decorridos para estabelecer se ela se desenrola linear ou ciclicamente, se é contínua, marcada por eventos, ou interrompida por catástrofes. De modo geral, ocupar-se do tempo ou do espaço-tempo significa, de certa forma, ocupar-se do universo ou mesmo da totalidade do ser; significa, além disso, interessar-se por todas as modalidades do devir, pelo movimento, pelas transformações da energia e pelas variações da entropia, pela evolução dos seres vivos e pelas suas ontogêneses, pelo desenvolvimento econômico e social. Essa extrema generalidade das categorias utilizadas para pensar o desenvolvimento temporal de diferentes processos fá-las intervir não só na filosofia, mas também na ciência, na política, nas artes, na vida cotidiana.

Enciclopédia Einaudi. Lisboa: Casa da Moeda, 1993, p. 90 (com adaptações).

La rebelión de las masas

La vida humana, por su naturaleza propia, tiene que estar puesta a algo, a una empresa gloriosa o humilde, a un destino ilustre o trivial. Se trata de una condición extraña, pero inexorable, escrita en nuestra existencia. Por un lado, vivir es algo que cada cual hace por sí y para sí. Por otro lado, si esa vida mía, que sólo a mí me importa, no es entregada por mí a algo, caminará desvencijada, sin tensión
y sin forma. Estos años asistimos al gigantesco espectáculo de innumerables vidas humanas que marchan perdidas en el laberinto de sí mismas por no tener a qué entregarse. Vivir es ir disparado hacia algo, es caminar hacia una meta. La meta no es mi caminar, no es mi vida; es algo a lo que pongo ésta y que por lo mismo está fuera de ella, más allá. Si me resuelvo a andar sólo por dentro de mi vida, egoístamente, no avanzo, no voy a ninguna parte; doy vueltas y revueltas en un mismo lugar.

José Ortega y Gasset. Internet: <www.lexturalia.com> (con adaptaciones).

In short, Virginia Woolf suggests that time exists in different forms. It exists in the external world, but also — and perhaps more importantly — in our internal world. Her description of the loud and rushing civilization suggests that we push ahead in the name of progress, without fully appreciating the moment. Through the character of Clarissa, Woolf challenges the usual definition of success. Perhaps we need not leave some magnificent gift behind in the form of a building or a concrete art piece. Instead, maybe it is how we live our lives and our appreciation for the present that are truly more powerful and eternal. The small gifts we offer others, like bringing
people together through a party, can touch people differently than a monument.

Woolf’s message about time should be heeded. Our rush to leave a dramatic mark in the world leads to further destruction. Tension abounds in our modern world as we create technology to increase our efficiency. Our civilization tends to see scientific and monumental
achievements as the most valid measures of an individual’s success. However, in the process, our communities disintegrate. More and more people complain of feeling alienated. The evidence surrounds us. The internal time that allows us to slow down and be involved with people finds itself dominated by external societal time. Some might find Clarissa Dalloway’s gift to the world to be trivial. However, we need individuals with the ability to pull people together — people with the ability to create community where it no longer exists.

Internet: <prizedwriting.ucdavis.edu> (adapted).

In short, Virginia Woolf suggests that time exists in different forms. It exists in the external world, but also — and perhaps more importantly — in our internal world. Her description of the loud and rushing civilization suggests that we push ahead in the name of progress, without fully appreciating the moment. Through the character of Clarissa, Woolf challenges the usual definition of success. Perhaps we need not leave some magnificent gift behind in the form of a building or a concrete art piece. Instead, maybe it is how we live our lives and our appreciation for the present that are truly more powerful and eternal. The small gifts we offer others, like bringing
people together through a party, can touch people differently than a monument.

Woolf’s message about time should be heeded. Our rush to leave a dramatic mark in the world leads to further destruction. Tension abounds in our modern world as we create technology to increase our efficiency. Our civilization tends to see scientific and monumental
achievements as the most valid measures of an individual’s success. However, in the process, our communities disintegrate. More and more people complain of feeling alienated. The evidence surrounds us. The internal time that allows us to slow down and be involved with people finds itself dominated by external societal time. Some might find Clarissa Dalloway’s gift to the world to be trivial. However, we need individuals with the ability to pull people together — people with the ability to create community where it no longer exists.

Internet: <prizedwriting.ucdavis.edu> (adapted).

La rebelión de las masas

La vida humana, por su naturaleza propia, tiene que estar puesta a algo, a una empresa gloriosa o humilde, a un destino ilustre o trivial. Se trata de una condición extraña, pero inexorable, escrita en nuestra existencia. Por un lado, vivir es algo que cada cual hace por sí y para sí. Por otro lado, si esa vida mía, que sólo a mí me importa, no es entregada por mí a algo, caminará desvencijada, sin tensión
y sin forma. Estos años asistimos al gigantesco espectáculo de innumerables vidas humanas que marchan perdidas en el laberinto de sí mismas por no tener a qué entregarse. Vivir es ir disparado hacia algo, es caminar hacia una meta. La meta no es mi caminar, no es mi vida; es algo a lo que pongo ésta y que por lo mismo está fuera de ella, más allá. Si me resuelvo a andar sólo por dentro de mi vida, egoístamente, no avanzo, no voy a ninguna parte; doy vueltas y revueltas en un mismo lugar.

José Ortega y Gasset. Internet: <www.lexturalia.com> (con adaptaciones).

La rebelión de las masas

La vida humana, por su naturaleza propia, tiene que estar puesta a algo, a una empresa gloriosa o humilde, a un destino ilustre o trivial. Se trata de una condición extraña, pero inexorable, escrita en nuestra existencia. Por un lado, vivir es algo que cada cual hace por sí y para sí. Por otro lado, si esa vida mía, que sólo a mí me importa, no es entregada por mí a algo, caminará desvencijada, sin tensión
y sin forma. Estos años asistimos al gigantesco espectáculo de innumerables vidas humanas que marchan perdidas en el laberinto de sí mismas por no tener a qué entregarse. Vivir es ir disparado hacia algo, es caminar hacia una meta. La meta no es mi caminar, no es mi vida; es algo a lo que pongo ésta y que por lo mismo está fuera de ella, más allá. Si me resuelvo a andar sólo por dentro de mi vida, egoístamente, no avanzo, no voy a ninguna parte; doy vueltas y revueltas en un mismo lugar.

José Ortega y Gasset. Internet: <www.lexturalia.com> (con adaptaciones).

In short, Virginia Woolf suggests that time exists in different forms. It exists in the external world, but also — and perhaps more importantly — in our internal world. Her description of the loud and rushing civilization suggests that we push ahead in the name of progress, without fully appreciating the moment. Through the character of Clarissa, Woolf challenges the usual definition of success. Perhaps we need not leave some magnificent gift behind in the form of a building or a concrete art piece. Instead, maybe it is how we live our lives and our appreciation for the present that are truly more powerful and eternal. The small gifts we offer others, like bringing
people together through a party, can touch people differently than a monument.

Woolf’s message about time should be heeded. Our rush to leave a dramatic mark in the world leads to further destruction. Tension abounds in our modern world as we create technology to increase our efficiency. Our civilization tends to see scientific and monumental
achievements as the most valid measures of an individual’s success. However, in the process, our communities disintegrate. More and more people complain of feeling alienated. The evidence surrounds us. The internal time that allows us to slow down and be involved with people finds itself dominated by external societal time. Some might find Clarissa Dalloway’s gift to the world to be trivial. However, we need individuals with the ability to pull people together — people with the ability to create community where it no longer exists.

Internet: <prizedwriting.ucdavis.edu> (adapted).