本文探討人類時間觀念尤其是當下「媒介時間」的「內化」過程。作者認為,自然、鐘錶與媒介時間各觀念,在各自社會分被「內化」為「順時」、「準時」與「即時」三種紀律,成為普羅大眾必須順從的社會制度或文化約束。在電子媒介社會,媒介時間形成了「即時」時間紀律,即建立於時間表之上的即時行動、與對時間流程「瞬時」與「同步」之要求。 本研究一併探討了促進時間觀念「內化」背後的多種社會力量。總體而言,生存壓力、宗教信仰、大型社會組織之運轉、技術傳播,是促進時間「內化」之主要力量,而在電子媒介社會,推動「即時」時間擴散之力量主要為媒介技術之普遍運用、工作進程之權力因素、社會組織之利益競逐、人際交往之隱形約束。面對錯綜複雜的時間紀律,作者僅能呼籲人們提高對時間的認知與領悟,發展在不同時空裡適應與平衡不同時間紀律之能力,因為我們就生在時間之中,無法也無需全然抗拒時間的約束。
This article explores the process of internalizing of the media time. In the electronic media society, ”instant” discipline has been formed and infiltrated widely because of the media time. The writer also believes that three time disciplines have been integrated into our society. These disciplines can be named respectively as ”Obedience”, ”Punctuality” and ”Instant”. The research has found that religious influence, survival pressures and technical power are the main impetus behind the modern time, promoting and accelerating the pace of time internalization. For the media time, ”Instant” discipline is forced by survival pressures, interest competition between organizations and the wide use of media technology. Facing the complicated disciplines, we should develop the ability to balance in different places and different time.