In the past six years, 19 states have made efforts to move to year-round daylight saving time. So what’s in the way?

  • ExFed@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Perhaps you think I work 9-5.

    Apologies. I was using “9 to 5” to mean “a standard work schedule that doesn’t actually exist for most people except as a cliche.”

    I have no desire to go to work an hour earlier

    But that’s exactly what permanent DST is! Just because the clock still says “7 xDT” instead of “7 xST” doesn’t make it the same time. The sun still rises and sets on it’s own time no matter what our clocks say. Circadian rhythms ultimately depend on sunrise, zenith, and sunset, not some number on a clock. Switching between ST and DST effectively forces the whole world to adopt a “winter” schedule and a “summer” schedule, but in an incredibly disruptive and politically-charged way.

    I agree that changing clocks twice a year is a bad idea. My point is, if we’re going to pick one, it should be the one that is based on the motion of the planet. The whole world has to coordinate schedules anyways. So let’s use a standard that more closely matches our biology, not some “you’ll save daylight” marketing.

    Or maybe we should all agree to live in the future and just use UTC…

    • derf82@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      But that’s exactly what permanent DST is! Just because the clock still says “7 xDT” instead of “7 xST” doesn’t make it the same time.

      Yes it is, because everything else around me moves an hour. I have to move because time is standardized. When time goes to standard time, if I just kept the same schedule, everything else moves an hour later: sporting events I might want to watch, social gatherings I might want to go to, and so on. Thus, I wind up being up “later” and thus want to get up “later.” No man is an island. I can’t just stay on a DST schedule by myself.

      And I don’t think standard matches our biology in some magical way. Noon is the middle of 5”the daylight, but for most people, the middle of there day is closer to 1pm.

      • ExFed@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        …everything else around me moves an hour. I have to move because time is standardized.

        This sounds an awful lot like you’re arguing for continuing to change our clocks twice a year. I’ll assume benefit of the doubt that this is just a misunderstanding.

        I don’t think standard matches our biology in some magical way.

        It’s not magic. It’s science.

        • derf82@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          This sounds an awful lot like you’re arguing for continuing to change our clocks twice a year. I’ll assume benefit of the doubt that this is just a misunderstanding.

          Sorry if I’m confusing, but I am in favor of not changing clocks. I am just responding to your statement that I should keep going on at the same solar time or whatever you want to call it. As long as clocks keep changing, I will have to adjust as most of the rest of the population adjusts.

          It’s not magic. It’s science.

          They don’t provide much evidence aside from a link to a hearing that will not load for me. But I don’t know what their assumptions are. I doubt most will have a schedule available or even choose a schedule that aligns to perfect circadian rhythms. I also want to know what their position is in the effect of much earlier sunrises in the summer, where some areas will see light at 4 am or earlier. When I have seen other groups justify standard time, the focus is almost universally the issue is morning light in winter, and ignores what will happen to sunrises in the summer. Yeah, the winter has little light. That’s just a fact of nature.

          I still say most, given the choice, already choose or are forced to choose a schedule that somewhat is suboptimal for circadian rhythms.

          Also, I think if that is the argument, that you have to look at the time zones themselves. Many are in the wrong time one based on solar time.