I would have posted sooner, but you know how it is.
Seriously though, the fear of being late is one of the real stressers in my life. It's really the least I can do. Being late for a couple of crucial moments growing up, has absolutely driven home the ramifications of letting someone down this way.
Being "Fashionably Late" is always a challenge for me. Now that I think of it, this is a rare example of tardiness being beneficial. As long as it's not excessive and the event is informal, it allows a grace period for the host to get the final details in order.
I am curious about cultural attitudes towards punctuality and time in general though. What are the roots behind politically incorrect expressions such as "Indian time", "Island time" or even "B.C. Time". I understand the derogatory use of such expressions, but surely there are cultures where punctuality for the sake of others is not sancrosanct.
Put another way:
In America, the Customer is "always right.". Yet this is not so in other parts of the world - France, for example. How would a similar cultural difference around time management come to be?