[the spark]
Time Isn't Money
The phrase “I don’t have time” is a convenient lie.
We treat our schedules like a depleting resource, a constant deficit that sends us searching for productivity hacks and shortcuts.
But this sense of scarcity isn’t a reflection of reality. We have more free hours and flexibility than any generation before us, yet we feel more rushed than ever. Something else is going on here.
Brad Aeon studies time, but not in the way most people think. He isn’t chasing hacks or color-coded calendars. He’s asking why we treat time like a debt in the first place.
In his research, Aeon found that the modern obsession with productivity hides a deeper delusion. We equate time with money, then wonder why we feel anxious and disconnected. When every hour carries a price tag, who can afford to be generous, purposeful, or delicate? Yet, when we stop giving our time to others, our lives shrink around the pursuit of efficiency.
Aeon’s philosophy returns to the roots of time management as a moral question. He reminds us that time isn’t a token for output; it’s the raw material of life. He draws on the Roman philosopher Seneca, who observed that we only cheapen the value of our time because we forget we will die.
Every choice costs something, and that cost is what gives meaning to what remains. To live well, we must accept the trade-offs instead of hiding behind the excuse of being busy.
Meaning is found in the sacrifices we willingly make.
