The Chronology of Wholeness: Synthesizing the Polycene and the Second Mountain Through the Symbol of the Present

1. Introduction: The Temporal Rupture of the 21st Century

1.1 The Crisis of the Existing Temporal Order

The architecture of modern human consciousness is undergoing a profound and structural stress test, one that far exceeds the parameters of standard geopolitical or economic cyclicality.

The frameworks that organized the 20th century—binary geopolitical alliances, linear economic growth models, and the rigid compartmentalization of human agency versus natural systems—are fracturing under the weight of an unprecedented, multidimensional interconnectedness.

We stand at a threshold where the cognitive tools of the past are no longer adequate to map the terrain of the future. The crisis is not merely one of policy or resource allocation; it is a fundamental rupture in our temporal perception. We are attempting to navigate a fluid, "poly" dimensional reality using the rigid, segmented, and binary time-maps inherited from the industrial age.

The prevailing symbol of our time, the digital clock, ticking away seconds in a relentless, linear subtraction of possibility, reinforces a worldview of scarcity, separation, and decay.

This report posits that the "tyranny of the second hand" is the invisible infrastructure supporting the "First Mountain" of hyper-individualism and the binary conflicts of the fading Holocene.

To address the complexities of what Thomas Friedman calls the "Polycene" and to ascend what David Brooks terms the "Second Mountain," humanity requires a new, unifying, non-verbal symbol. This symbol must be cyclical, reflecting the planetary systems we inhabit; it must be post-human, acknowledging our entanglement with the non-human world; and it must function as a "time mask," filtering out the noise of the ephemeral to reveal the rhythmic signal of the eternal.

1.2 The Convergence of Three Streams

This research synthesizes disparate streams of thought to propose a unified theory of temporal evolution.

First, it examines the political ecology of the "Polycene," a concept articulated by Thomas Friedman and Craig Mundie, which describes an era where binary "either/or" choices are rendered obsolete by the crushing weight of "both/and" complexity.

Second, it integrates the moral sociology of David Brooks’ "Second Mountain," which charts the necessary migration from the ego-driven conquest of the self to the relational interdependence of the community.

Third, it grounds these social theories in the ontology of "The Planetary," as defined by the philosophers Tobias Rees and Ervin Laszlo, arguing that our technological and spiritual merging with the earth system demands a new epistemology of time.

At the center of this synthesis lies "The Present," a critical horological artifact designed by Scott Thrift. This annual clock, described by Nobel laureate László Krasznahorkai as "the most beautiful time mask of the world," serves as the physical anchor for this theoretical framework.

By analyzing The Present not merely as a timepiece but as a philosophical instrument, this report argues that reorienting our temporal perception is the absolute prerequisite for surviving the transition from the Holocene to the Polycene.

2. The Architecture of the Polycene: Beyond the Binary

2.1 Defining the Polycene Era

The term "Polycene," coined by technologist Craig Mundie and popularized by Thomas Friedman, marks a decisive departure from the Holocene and even the Anthropocene.

While the Anthropocene defined an era of human impact on geology, the Polycene defines an era of multiplicity in causality and experience.

It is an epoch characterized by the convergence of multiple, accelerating forces: artificial intelligence, climate change, geopolitical realignment, and massive social transformation.

The Polycene represents the collapse of the "binary" as a useful heuristic for navigating reality. For centuries, Western thought has been structured by dualities: East versus West, Capital versus Labor, Man versus Nature, Subject versus Object.

Friedman argues that the frameworks that structured the Cold War and the post-Cold War era have disintegrated.

In their place is a "networked complexity" where systems are "poly" in nature: polymathic AI, polycentric geopolitics, poly-economic networks, and poly-crises.

The distinguishing feature of the Polycene is the death of the "either/or" choice. In a binary world, one chooses a side, and the goal is to win. In a Polycene world, the interconnectedness of systems means that "winning" in isolation is impossible.

A victory for one node that destroys the network is a defeat for all. Friedman observes that "most of the problems we face do not have 'either/or' answers: they have 'both/and' answers". This necessitates a cognitive shift from binary reasoning to "nonbinary reasoning" or synthesis.

2.2 The Friction of Transition: Binary Resistance

The transition to the Polycene is traumatic because our institutions and mental models remain stubbornly binary. The political polarization seen globally—exemplified by entities like the Heritage Foundation’s "Project 2025," which insists on a binary reality of gender and sexuality—is a reaction against the complexity of the Polycene. It is an attempt to force a "poly" reality back into a "mono" or "binary" container.

The stress of this era arises from the "winners and losers" mentality applied to a system in which interdependence renders such distinctions moot. As Friedman notes, "living in a binary world... is becoming a pattern of the past".

The complexity of issues like gun control or climate change cannot be solved by compromise (which splits the difference between two poles) but only by synthesis (which integrates multiple perspectives into a new understanding). This resistance is not merely political; it is cognitive. The human brain, evolved for tribal survival, seeks the simplicity of the "Line in the Sand".

The metaphor of the "Line in the Sand" represents the ultimate binary act: "Here I stand, and there you stand." It is an act of division, defining a battlefield or a boundary. In the Polycene, however, lines are washed away by the tides of interconnectedness.

To draw a line in the sand in an era of rising sea levels is a futile gesture of the First Mountain ego. The Polycene demands not lines, but circles: feedback loops, orbits, and ecosystems.

2.3 The Polycrisis as a Systemic Condition

The Polycene is visually represented by the "polycrisis"—a cascade of interlocking emergencies in which climate change sparks wildfires, which cause economic shocks, which lead to mass migration, which triggers political instability.

In this context, a linear "problem-solution" approach fails. As Johan Rockström and Thomas Homer-Dixon argue, the "vastly greater connectivity" among economic and natural systems means that shocks propagate instantly.

Friedman quotes a popular Russian saying to describe this irreversibility: "It is easier to turn an aquarium into fish soup than to turn fish soup into an aquarium".

The "aquarium" was the stable, compartmentalized world of the past—nation-states, distinct cultures, predictable climates. The "fish soup" is the Polycene—a messy, irreversible blend of biological, digital, and political ingredients. We cannot “un-cook” the soup. We cannot return to the aquarium.

This realization forces a confrontation with the inadequacy of our current tools. If we cannot separate the ingredients, we must learn to understand the flavor of the whole.

This requires "synthesis," described not as compromise but as "an inclusive understanding derived from the contributions of many points of view".

This echoes the "polyglot, polychromatic, and polyreligious" nature of modern communities. Just as a biological ecosystem relies on biodiversity for resilience, the Polycene relies on "poly-thinking" for survival.

3. The Sociology of the Second Mountain: Escaping the Trap of the Self

3.1 The First Mountain: The Industrial Ego

David Brooks’ concept of the "Second Mountain" provides the moral cartography for the Polycene landscape. Brooks argues that modern society encourages us to climb the "First Mountain"—the mountain of individual ambition, career success, reputation, and ego gratification. This ascent is driven by a "meritocratic" ethos that values what one can do or acquire over who one is or how one relates to others.

The First Mountain is inherently binary and competitive. It is about "winning" and "losing," about being "better than" or "more than" the next person. It is rooted in the "hyper-individualism" that has defined Western culture over the last 60 years.

This worldview treats society as a contract between autonomous individuals rather than a covenant between interconnected souls. It is the sociological equivalent of the "Line in the Sand"—constantly defining the self against the other.

Brooks observes that the First Mountain ultimately leads to a "dead end". The satisfaction it promises is fleeting. The "cultural rot" of unrestrained individualism leads to loneliness, alienation, and a "crisis of connection".

The "insecure overachiever" reaches the summit only to find the view unsatisfying and the air thin. This individual is the "atomized" human of the industrial age, synchronized by the factory clock but disconnected from the planetary rhythm.

3.2 The Valley: The Crucible of the Polycrisis

Between the two mountains lies the "valley of suffering." This is often precipitated by a crisis—a personal failure, a loss, or a realization of the emptiness of the First Mountain. In the context of the Polycene, we can view the current global state—the polycrisis—as a collective "valley."

The environmental degradation, political polarization, and mental health epidemics are the collective symptoms of a civilization that has conquered the First Mountain of industrial growth but lost its soul in the process.

It is in this valley that the "crust" of the ego is broken, allowing the deeper desires of the heart and soul to emerge. The valley forces a shift from "happiness" (which is individual and based on circumstances) to "joy" (which is self-transcending and based on connection). The valley is where the "fish soup" of reality becomes undeniable. In the valley, one cannot pretend to be separate; suffering is the universal solvent that dissolves the boundaries of the ego.

3.3 The Second Mountain: Relationalism as Polycene Ethic

The "Second Mountain" is the life of commitment. It is defined by "relationalism", a worldview that sees life not as a solitary journey but as a "web of connections".

On the Second Mountain, the individual moves from "self-centeredness" to "other-centeredness," committing to vocation, family, philosophy/faith, and community.

This shift mirrors the requirements of the Polycene.

Just as the Polycene demands a move from binary to networked thinking, the Second Mountain demands a move from individualistic to relational living. Brooks argues that "character emerges from our commitments".

In a "poly" world where actions have cascading effects, the only viable ethic is one of interdependence. The "Relationist Manifesto" at the end of Brooks' work calls for a society that prioritizes the "spiritual web" of relationships over the "contractual" arrangements of the market.

However, the "Second Mountain" must be understood broadly. It is not just about human relationships. In the Polycene, the "community" we must commit to includes the non-human world. It includes the biosphere, the climate system, and the technological networks we have created.

This expansion of the Second Mountain into the realm of the non-human brings us to the concept of "The Planetary."

4. The Ontology of the Planetary: Decentering the Human

4.1 The Planetary as a Knowledge Object

To fully grasp the necessity of the temporal shift, we must look to the concept of "The Planetary" as articulated by Tobias Rees. The Planetary is not merely "nature" or the "environment" in the traditional sense. It is a new "knowledge object" constituted by technology. We only know "climate change" or the "biosphere" as comprehensive systems because of a vast network of sensors, satellites, and computers that monitor the Earth.

Rees argues that we are witnessing a "paradigm shift" from globalization (markets crossing borders) to planetarity (earth systems entangling civilization). In the Planetary era, the human is decentered. We are no longer the masters of nature (a First Mountain delusion) but components of a "biogeochemical ferment". The "Planetary" is the recognition that the "whole Earth system embeds and entangles human civilization in its habitat".

4.2 Post-Humanism and the Technological Exoskeleton

This alignment of technology and nature challenges the binary of "natural vs. artificial." Post-humanism, as explored in the academic literature surrounding this shift, does not mean "anti-human" or "after-human" in a chronological sense, but rather an "inclusive posthumanism" that rejects the humanist ideal of the autonomous, separate individual.

The "technological exoskeleton" of planetary computation—satellites, AI, global networks—acts as a "distributed sensory organ" for the earth. Through this exoskeleton, the planet becomes self-aware. Human beings are the cognitive layer of this system, but we are not the only intelligence. We share this space with machine intelligence and biological intelligence.

The "First Mountain" individualism is a form of humanism that pits man against nature. The "Second Mountain" relationalism must extend beyond human relationships to include the "more-than-human world". The Planetary perspective demands that we see ourselves as part of a "living ecology," where human and machine intelligences merge into a "planetary sapience".

4.3 Uncertainty as the New Epistemology

In the Polycene/Planetary era, certainty is a liability. The "machinic unknown" of AI and the unpredictability of the climate defy binary categorization. Tobias Rees suggests that we must use "uncertainty" as an epistemic and aesthetic tool. We must "expand the space of the thinkable into the unthinkable".

The conventional clock offers false certainty. It tells us exactly what second it is. It chops time into precise, manageable units. But this precision masks the uncertainty of the future and the complexity of the present.

A new symbol of time must embrace this uncertainty—or rather, this fluidity. It must show us where we are in the cycle, not when we are in the sequence. It must support "Planetary Homeostasis", the alignment of technological prowess with natural resilience.

5. The Tyranny of the Second Hand: A Critique of Industrial Time

5.1 The Fragmentation of Reality

To understand why a new symbol is needed, we must interrogate the old one. The conventional clock, with its emphasis on hours, minutes, and especially seconds, is a "refined device of the thinking mind." It is an artifact of the industrial age, designed to synchronize labor and machinery, not to align human consciousness with planetary rhythms.

The critique of the conventional clock is central to the philosophy of "The Present." Scott Thrift, the creator of The Present, notes that measuring life "second by second" forces the present moment into a "meaningless split-second between the future and the past". This creates a sensation of constant acceleration. As soon as "now" arrives, it is gone. The "Moment" is greater than the "Second" (Moment > Second), yet our tools prioritize the second.

This granular measurement of time is the temporal equivalent of binary thinking. It chops the continuum of existence into discrete, manageable units (0 or 1, tick or tock). It "cultivates the feeling that life continues to accelerate while the present moment remains forever out of reach". It is a tool of the First Mountain, designed for extraction and efficiency, not for presence and connection.

5.2 Fossil-Fueled Time and Control

Historically, the imposition of the "twenty-four-hour GMT clock" was an act of colonization, both over nature and over diverse cultures. It replaced "Sourdough time" or "ecological time" with "fossil-fueled time." This mechanical time favors the First Mountain values: efficiency, productivity, and speed. It is the time of the factory and the stock market, not the time of the forest or the soul.

The "relentless" and "fragmenting" nature of conventional clocks causes anxiety and a feeling of being "pent up". It reinforces the illusion that time is a scarce resource to be hoarded or spent, rather than a medium to be inhabited.

This "short-term horizon" is identified by Nathan Gardels as a relic of our "Paleolithic survival instinct," which now threatens our planetary survival. We are reactive, responding to the second hand, rather than proactive, responding to the seasons or the generations.

5.3 The Illusion of the Line

The conventional clock enforces a linear view of time, a "line in the sand" drawn between the past and the future. This linearity is a construct. Ervin Laszlo reminds us that "time is a refined device of the thinking mind to keep records of its own becoming." It is a mental construct, not an absolute reality.

By viewing time as a line, we trap ourselves in the logic of "progress" (First Mountain) where every moment must be "better" than the last, and any repetition is a failure. The Polycene, however, is cyclical. The seasons return; the climate feedback loop; the "fish soup" swirls. We need a timekeeper that honors the circle, not the line.

6. The Present: The Time Mask of the Polycene

6.1 Deconstructing the Artifact

"The Present" is a timepiece designed by Scott Thrift that radically departs from the conventional clock. Its design philosophy is simple yet revolutionary: one hand, one revolution per year.

The Scale: Instead of 12 hours, the dial represents 365 days.

The Movement: It moves at the "speed of nature," mirroring the Earth's orbit around the sun.

The Experience: It reframes the "now" not as a fleeting second, but as a position within a seasonal cycle. The dial features a gradient of color: white (winter solstice) to green (spring equinox) to yellow (summer solstice) to red (autumn equinox) and back to white.

This device is not a gadget; it has no apps, no updates, and runs for decades on a pair of batteries. It is a "philosophical instrument" designed to "give time space." It is a piece of "critical horology" that challenges the user to rethink the nature of time itself.

6.2 The Concept of the "Time Mask"

The most profound description of The Present comes from the Nobel Prize-winning author László Krasznahorkai, who called it "the most beautiful time mask of the world".

This phrase demands careful unpacking.

A mask, in the context of Greek tragedy (persona), does not merely hide; it reveals by concealing. It suppresses the actor's individuality to reveal the character's universal truth. Similarly, The Present acts as a "time mask" because it conceals the trivial data of the "second" and the "minute." By masking the anxiety-inducing fragmentation of industrial time, it reveals the "face" of the year.

This "masking" is essential for the Polycene. The sheer volume of data in the Polycene (the poly-crisis) is overwhelming. We are bombarded by "notifications" and "breaking news" (seconds and minutes). To see the "Planetary," we must filter out this noise. The Present is a filter. It allows us to see the "Long Now."

Ervin Laszlo’s Metaphysics: Laszlo argues that "it is not time to master us, but it is we who have to master time". The "time mask" allows us to master time by changing our relationship to it—transforming it from a tyrant into a "gift".

It aligns with Laszlo's concept of the "Akashic field," the enduring memory of the universe. The Present is a local interface for that memory, reminding us that the cycle continues and that we are held within it.

6.3 Synthesizing Art and System

The Present is a synthesis of "Art" and "System," reflecting the "Both/And" nature of the Polycene.

System: It is a precise instrument. The movement is a marvel of low-power engineering, coded by Josh Levine (josh.com) to run for decades. It respects the physical reality of the Earth's orbit (365.24 days).

Art: It uses color and minimalism to evoke emotion. It creates a "calming effect" and a "sense of peace".

This synthesis makes it the ideal symbol for the Second Mountain. It is a tool that leads to "joy" (self-transcending) rather than just "efficiency" (ego-driven). It is a "secular liturgical object," creating a sacred space for time in a secular world.

7. Synthesis: The Argument for a New Unifying Symbol

7.1 The Convergence of Requirements

The research presented here reveals a striking convergence of requirements for a new symbol of time.

Requirement 1: Non-Binary (Friedman). The symbol must represent a continuum, not a division. The Present’s circular gradient has no hard lines, and seasons bleed into one another. It is a "poly-chromatic" representation of time.

Requirement 2: Relational (Brooks). The symbol must foster connection. By removing the stress of the "second," The Present opens up space for a relationship. It aligns the community with a shared, natural rhythm rather than a competitive, industrial schedule.

Requirement 3: Planetary (Rees/Laszlo). The symbol must decenter the human and center the earth. The Present tells "Earth Time," not "Factory Time." It is a "post-human" artifact that acknowledges the "more-than-human" world.

Requirement 4: Non-Verbal. In a polarized world where words are weaponized (Project 2025 vs. DEI), a non-verbal symbol is essential. The Present speaks through color and position, bypassing the linguistic defenses of the binary mind.

7.2 The Failure of the "Line in the Sand"

The "Line in the Sand" is the symbol of the First Mountain, the boundary I draw to protect my ego or my tribe. The "Circle of the Present" is the symbol of the Second Mountain, the orbit that includes us all.

Observation: Military and ecclesiastical history suggests that "those who draw lines in the sand have already capitulated". The line is a defensive, reactive posture. The circle is an inclusive, proactive posture.

Application: In the Polycene, we cannot survive by drawing lines against climate change or AI. We must encircle them—integrate them into a holistic understanding of our planetary condition.

7.3 The Present as a "21st Century Walden"

Fast Company called The Present a "21st Century Walden". This comparison to Thoreau is apt. Thoreau went to the woods to "live deliberately" and to "front only the essential facts of life."

The Present brings the "woods" (natural time) into the "city" (industrial space). It allows for a "transcendentalist" experience within the technological exoskeleton of the Polycene.

It offers a "therapeutic tool against the stresses of modern life". By shifting the scale of time from the "second" to the "year," it reduces the perceived acceleration of life. It creates a "temporal sanctuary" where the mind can rest and the soul can ascend the Second Mountain.

Table 1: Comparative Analysis of Temporal Paradigms

Primary Unit	Second / Minute / Hour	Season / Year / Epoch
Logic	Binary (Either/Or)	Synthesis (Both/And)
Direction	Linear (Line in the Sand)	Cyclical (Circle of the Present)
Goal	Efficiency / Accumulation / Winning	Balance / Interdependence / Living
Self-Concept	Individual / Ego / Humanist	Relational / Node / Post-Humanist
Tool	Conventional Clock (The Tyrant)	The Present (The Time Mask)
Ontology	Separation (Man vs. Nature)	Entanglement (Techno-Gaia)
Emotion	Anxiety / Scarcity	Presence / Abundance

8. Conclusion: Mastering the Polycene Through the Time Mask

The transition from the binary, individualistic world of the 20th century to the poly-faceted, relational world of the 21st century is the defining challenge of our species. This report has argued that this transition is fundamentally a temporal one. We are trying to run a Planetary civilization on Industrial time. The friction between these two temporalities generates the heat of our current "polycrisis."

Thomas Friedman’s Polycene provides the context: a world of infinite connection and complexity where "winning" is obsolete. David Brooks’ Second Mountain provides the ethic: a life of deep relationship and service that transcends the ego. Tobias Rees’ Planetary provides the ontology: a recognition of our entanglement with earth and machine.

To synthesize these abstract concepts into lived reality, we require a tangible symbol. The Present, Scott Thrift’s annual clock, offers precisely this. It is a non-verbal argument for wholeness. It is a "time mask" that shields us from the tyranny of the immediate to reveal the comfort of the eternal.

By adopting such symbols, we do not merely measure time differently; we inhabit a different kind of time. We move from the anxiety of the ticking clock to the peace of the orbiting planet. We stop drawing lines in the sand and start tracing the circle of the year. In doing so, we equip ourselves to climb the Second Mountain, navigate the Polycene, and finally, master time.

The Present

The Chronology of Wholeness