"Hyperculture"

"No man in a hurry is quite civilized."
- Will Durant

I had the privilege, many years ago, of studying under Dr. Stephen Bertman; now retired Professor of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Civilizations. Dr. Bertman possessed an amazing ability to imbue his students with his deep passion for the Classics.

And he taught us to observe squirrels as they obscurely navigated the hectic University campus; content in the structure of their lives, and immune to human prescriptions of time. The squirrels we watched from the ivied, November windows of Dillon Hall did not seem to 'stress' over chestnut deadlines. Governed by purpose and instinct, they allowed Nature to dictated the pace of their lives.

Proposing that we live in a "nowist culture," in his book, Hyperculture: The Human Cost of Speed, Dr. Bertman explores the erosion of "fundamental values" as a consequence of the "accelerated pace of society."

"A nowist culture [...] does not cultivate patience as a virtue. Its emphasis, instead, is on speed and technical efficiency."

This is an extraordinarily interesting book, and a read I highly recommend.

It is with Dr. Bertman's propositions in mind that I ask you to consider at which point in your life have you encountered a dining experience which was less than favourable, and why? Although inaccurate orders, cranky wait-staff, and/or poor atmosphere may all be valid complaints, the issue I most often confront as a server is irritability with speed of service.

"In our society, speed is celebrated as if it were a virtue in itself."
- Jerry Mander

My chest, hidden beneath my Guinness t-shirt, is not emblazoned with a lightning

bolt. Neither Barry Allen, nor Wally West, am I. I am however, capable of providing efficient and attentive service. Yep, even without superpowers. I am not a slow waitress, but I am human. As such, I do not possess the ability to predict a walk-in of ten, when a keg of beer is going to blow, or when a cook may (god forbid, make a mistake?) overcook an item, thus having to restart an order. The list of reasons why a customer may feel they've waited 'too long' is numerous and varied.

Admittedly biased, I do not ask Why the wait?, but Why the rush?

Here's a novel idea: When dining out, enjoy yourself. Value the time you are spending within the company of family or friends. Waiting on your meal? Have another beer, or, if you're starving, ask for something to nibble on. I don't mind; I'll gladly bring you some rolls or a cup of soup.

Relax.

I feel that impatience over 'wasted' time is counterproductive. Time cannot be lost, but opportunity may be. The opportunity to live as a spiritually fulfilled individual; the opportunity to create pleasant memories, may dissolve if one allows otherwise recreational moments to be overshadowed by the constrictions of schedules and expectations of speed.