The Time Factor: The [When] that Changes Meaning

Time as a builder of memory and personal history.

Time is the first component of context because we become aware of it only through experience.

It is not an abstract entity, but an experience that materializes in seconds, minutes, days and years.

It is this succession of experiences that is recorded in our mind, generating memories, recollections and, ultimately, our personal history.

This accumulation of the past is fundamental in communication, as every message we receive in the present is filtered and interpreted through the lens of our previous experiences.

What a comment means to us today is intrinsically linked to what we experienced yesterday, making our temporal history a decisive factor in decoding any message.

The impact of the times: we do not communicate the same way in the 21st century as we did in the Renaissance.

Beyond our personal history, communication is contingent on the historical epoch in which we live.

The way we communicate is profoundly shaped by the time we were born, whether in the 1960s, the 2000s, or periods such as the Renaissance or the Baroque.

Each era has its own social norms, technologies, vocabulary and styles of interaction.

A speech considered eloquent in the 18th century might seem archaic and pedantic today.

Similarly, the forms of digital communication we take for granted would be incomprehensible to someone from just a few decades ago.

Thus, the large time frame in which we exist defines the tools and rules of our communication game.

Timing: the importance of choosing the right moment to communicate

If the era defines the general rules, the "timing" or the choice of the right moment defines the strategy at the micro level.

Understanding the timing factor allows us to be tactically smart with our messages.

The same request, formulated with identical words, can have opposite results depending on when it is made.

For example, requesting a raise from a boss on a day of financial crisis for the company is a recipe for failure.

Conversely, submitting the same request after successfully completing a crucial project exponentially increases the likelihood of a positive response.

The "when" is not a minor detail; it is often as important as the "what," and an effective communicator is one who knows how to read the moment and act accordingly.

The relativity of time and its subjective perception

Finally, we must recognize that time is an elusive and abstract concept, the perception of which is entirely subjective.

Philosophers and scientists have reflected on its paradoxical nature: the past is no more, the future has not yet arrived, and the present is an instant that continually disappears.

This elusive nature means that our experience of time is relative.

To an anxious person, five minutes of waiting may seem like an hour; to someone absorbed in a pleasurable task, an hour may pass in an instant.

This subjective perception directly affects communication, influencing the patience, sense of urgency and emotional state of interlocutors, demonstrating that even the clock does not provide a basis for universal understanding.

Summary

Time materializes in experiences that generate memories and our personal history, which acts as a filter. Every message we receive in the present is interpreted through the lens of our past experiences.

Beyond the personal, communication is subject to the historical era in which we live, with its own norms, technologies and vocabulary. Timing, or choosing the right moment, is a key strategy at the micro level.

The "when" is not a minor detail; it is often as important as the "what." Asking for a raise on a day of crisis is a failure; asking for a raise on the heels of a big success increases the likelihood of a positive response.