Spacetime Social Sciences

The study of how human societies understand, represent, and are shaped by concepts of space and time, from ancient calendars to modern time zones to the weird feeling that time speeds up as you age. It examines why different cultures have different relationships with punctuality (some see time as a line, others as a circle, others as a suggestion), how space and time structure social life (work here, live there, do it now, not later), and what happens when our technologies collapse spacetime (instant global communication means you can be harassed by your boss from anywhere, at any time—thanks, progress).

Example: "A spacetime social sciences study examined why meetings always run long. The conclusion: humans have a poor intuitive grasp of time, compounded by optimism (we can do five things in an hour), social pressure (no one wants to be the first to leave), and the fact that the person who scheduled the meeting didn't account for the spacetime curvature caused by their own ego, which bends time around them so they always have 'just one more thing.'"

by Abzugal February 14, 2026

Spacetime-Probability Social Sciences

The study of how human societies would organize themselves if everyone knew that all possible outcomes exist somewhere in the probability dimension. How do you build consensus when every decision branches into infinite alternatives? How do you punish crime when the criminal exists in branches where they didn't do it? And how do you manage relationships when you know there's a version of your partner who loves you, a version who tolerates you, and a version who has already moved to another dimension and started a new life with someone else? Spacetime-probability social sciences suggest that societies in such a reality would either achieve perfect peace (nothing matters, everything exists) or collapse into utter chaos (nothing matters, everything exists).

Spacetime-Probability Social Sciences Example: "A spacetime-probability social sciences study examined how couples would function if they could see all possible versions of their relationship. The researchers found that most couples, when shown a branch where they were happier, immediately became unhappy with their current branch. When shown a branch where they were miserable, they felt relieved—until they realized that version of them was also suffering. The study concluded that infinite knowledge is terrible for relationships and recommended blissful ignorance."

by Abzugal February 14, 2026