1. No Time-orientation cultures
Different societies have conceived of time differently over the ages

2. Working Definition
No Time-Orientation: a conception of the world where there’s literally no sense of time’s passage, no memory, and no sense of tomorrow. Cultures holding this conception (view) of time are typically non-literate, non-numerate, and non-industrial; they possess simple technology and language; they typically do not stress the need or importance for abstract thinking.

3. Cultural Example #1: Pirahã
Pirahã of the Amazon The Pirahã have an extremely limited language based on humming and whistling. They have no numbers, letters or art, no words for colours, no specific religious beliefs and no creation story; they appear to have no real concept of time. Their language has no past tense and everything exists for them only in the present: when they can no longer literally perceive (see) something that thing effectively ceases to exist for them.

4. Cultural Example #2: Amondawa
The Amondawa The Amondawa lack the linguistic structures that relate time and space. So, if you said something like “working through the night” they would not know what you mean. The Amondawa are not exactly without any conception of time; however, they never separate time and events; also, they have no words for time like “month” or “year” and do not keep track of their ages. Instead, they assume different names at different stages of their lives as they achieve a different status within the community.

5. How Does My Culture Differ from the Pirahã and Amondawa?
The Pirahã & Amondawa
We write our histories down
We use complex mathematics
We think and conceive of complex abstract concepts, e.g. human rights or working towards the future
We have a sense of the past, present and future
We make use of complex technologies
My language is constructed to communicate essential details like the colors of things, depth, height, texture, etc.
We have no written histories
We have a rough understanding of basic quantities
We use general ideas and descriptions for life’s various stages
We live fundamentally in the permanent present
We make use of basic technologies
Our languages are concerned only with focusing on basic nouns and do not make much use of adjectives (descriptive words)

6. Provide a working definition for your group’s assigned conception of time.
Provide two to three examples of societies/cultures believing in this conception of time. Explain exactly why they belong to this particular category.
How does this conception affect or shape these cultures’ worldviews?
How does this conception of time differ from your own? Your response should include a concrete example demonstrating the differences (or similarities, if any).