Queer Temporality is a theory that challenges traditional understandings of time and space in relation to gender, sexuality, and power dynamics. It posits that traditional concepts of linear time, such as past, present, and future, are limited and limiting when it comes to understanding how societies construct and experience different forms of identity and social relations. Queer temporality instead emphasizes the importance of nonlinear, cyclical, and liminal spaces in which identities can be formed and redefined. By doing so, queer temporality disrupts the capitalist moral narrative of productivity and progress, which is rooted in a linear conceptualization of time that prioritizes economic growth and efficiency above all else.
In this essay, I will explore how queer temporality challenges the capitalist moral narrative of productivity and progress through an analysis of its impact on sex, sexuality, eroticism, intimacy, and relationships. Specifically, I will consider how queer temporality unsettles the assumption that time must always be measured against a single standard, and that there is one "normal" way to live or experience life. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate how queer temporality offers an alternative approach to time that resists the tyranny of capitalist normativity and opens up new possibilities for liberation and self-determination.
Let us examine how queer temporality disrupts the capitalist moral narrative by challenging the notion of "progress." The capitalist moral narrative posits that progress is inherently positive and desirable, and that any deviation from this path leads to decline and decay.
This view assumes that progress is linear, uniform, and universal, with no room for variation or difference. This framework ignores the fact that many cultures have historically conceived of progress differently, and that different individuals may value different forms of development. Queer temporality calls into question these assumptions by proposing that progress should not be viewed as a singular goal but rather as a dynamic process that can take many forms and trajectories. By refusing to privilege certain forms of progress over others, queer temporality challenges the notion that progress must necessarily lead to greater economic growth and efficiency.
Queer temporality also challenges the capitalist moral narrative by questioning the concept of productivity itself. Capitalism prizes production above all else, viewing it as the key to success and prosperity.
This fixation on productivity fails to account for the ways in which people's lives are shaped by social and political forces beyond their control.
Some individuals may prioritize leisure over work, while others may need more time to care for loved ones or pursue personal interests. Queer temporality recognizes these differences and argues that they should not be seen as less valuable than traditional measures of productivity. Instead, it suggests that we should celebrate diversity and nonconformity in how we measure individual and collective achievement.
Let us consider how queer temporality disrupts the capitalist moral narrative through its focus on intimacy and relationships. The capitalist moral narrative often views intimate relationships as secondary to economic or professional pursuits, and prioritizes monogamy, heteronormativity, and nuclear families. This approach assumes that there is only one "correct" way to relate to others, ignoring the fact that many different types of relationships can be healthy and fulfilling. Queer temporality calls into question these assumptions by suggesting that intimacy can take many forms, including polyamory, kink, BDSM, and other alternative expressions of desire. By doing so, it highlights the fluidity and malleability of human experience and challenges the assumption that certain forms of relating are inherently superior to others.
Queer temporality offers a powerful challenge to the capitalist moral narrative of progress, productivity, and intimacy. By refusing to privilege certain understandings of time, space, gender, sexuality, and power dynamics, it opens up new possibilities for liberation and self-determination. We must resist the temptation to reduce all experiences to a single standard and instead embrace the diversity and complexity of life. Only then can we create a world that truly values difference, dignity, and freedom.
How does queer temporality disrupt the capitalist moral narrative of productivity and progress?
Queer temporality can be viewed as an alternative mode of temporal organization that disrupts the hegemonic normativity of linear time. It challenges the notion of chronology by introducing new concepts such as nonlinearity, cyclicality, and simultaneity into our understanding of history. As queer theory scholar Lauren Berlant argues, "time is not just what is passed from the past to the future; it is also the space between people.