Social Clock

Social Clock from a Christian Perspective

Tick tock, tick tock what time is it per the social clock? What's that you may ask?  I have heard of a wall clock but not a social clock.  A Social Clock has been defined as "the psychological timepiece that records major milestones in people's lives" (Feldman, 2008).  The social clock is used to gauge one's progress through life compared to others in the same age group.  Peer pressure is not only evident in junior high but continues throughout all ages.

The times on a social clock are not fixed like a wall clock, they change based on society and cultural norms. The times on the social clock were much different prior to the Industrial Revolution.  Due to the explosion of that time bomb the entire social clock has changed. The onset of the Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in human society; almost every aspect of daily life was eventually influenced in some way (Industrial Revolution, 2008). It changed because the expectations of society changed.  Middle class evolved as well as more educational and career opportunities.  The social clock had to change to keep up with "the times" that were changing.

Today's social clock runs much slower than years past. The pressure on women to get married and have children has slowed down.  Most women are in no rush to head down the aisle.  The opportunities to get an education and have a career are coming first. There are also increasing numbers going to school longer and getting higher educational degrees which will delay things even further. There is a spirit of freedom that is in the air that does not hold women to social clocks like years past.  The term old maid is rarely used in reference to older unmarried women like it used to be.

However there is a difference in social time and God's timing which is "kairos". Social time says you are not on time, and you must conform, but Gods word says "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2 New International Version)

"The Truth" reveals the timing that should be followed and it is God's timing.  His timing is always perfect when what one does is in His will. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that "He has made everything beautiful in its time." A social clock is one the world made up and Christians may be in the world but are not of the world and God's time is all that really matters. The reality is in the words of a song sung by Chicago, "does anybody really know what time it is?"

References

Feldman S. Robert (2008). Development across the life span (5^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Industrial Revolution. (2008, September 23). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:52, September 25, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Industrial_Revolution&oldid=240368798

 

Author's Note

Written for a Human Development class my first semester of Grad School at Liberty University