March 09, 2007

Fall Forward, Spring Back

I've always loathed the idea of Daylight Saving Time. I loathe it more than ever now that we have decided to change the start and end times with the (incredibly faulty and horribly illogical*) claim that it will conserve energy.

One of the best things I've ever heard about Daylight Saving Time was found at a webexhibits.org exhibit and was originally from a quote by Robertson Davies:

At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves.

I think of that quote every year when it's time to change the clocks, and it never ceases to amuse me.

*Doubting that the claim is wrong? Check out this article where someone actually collected data on it. Oh, and yes, I know my title is backwards.

2 comments:

Anita said...

I want to start an anti-DST movement.

But, I have more pressing issues at the moment.

Such as...

Those Puritans get blamed for everything!! Puritans were dominant in the northeast in colonial days. It was more likely the Early Republic folks and the 19th century capitalists (aka Victorians) who were driven to make $$$. Puritans only wanted to eke out a living so that they could worship God and form Zion. They were not even remotely interested in being rich (in this life). As far as I know. In fact, material wealth would have been considered sinful. (See the Amish for an example.)

I do get the gist of it though! I just hate to see the Puritans getting blamed for anything when we should know that everything wrong with society today is the fault of the Victorians!!

hahahaha! But seriously.

crse said...

Truly? I blame the Amish. I can and will back this up on demand.