Working on the night shift can change your outlook on our societal habits. Most people rise with the sun and sleep at night. In ancient times, it was the rule. Today, however, our societal tendencies toward a solar dependant schedule seem inefficient and obsolete.
In ancient times, it was not safe to go out at night. People conducted their business during the day and hurried home as nightfall approached. There really was no reason to venture out at night in those times. All of the shops were closed, the air was colder, and most of all, it was hard to see. Our early reliance upon sunlight pervaded so deeply into our culture that it became the standard for our daily activity.
Fire allowed early humans to disregard the darkened periods of our spinning planet. Our discovery electricity opened up even more possibilities. Machines allowed us to work late into the night, and it became feasible to venture out beneath the street lamps. Even so, the vast majority of people continued to conduct their business during daylight hours.
Until recently, the idea of a nocturnal society was not logical. As overcrowding becomes an increasingly pressing issue, though, we must consider the advantages of staggering our daily activity in order to optimize the utilization of our resources. Freeway congestion occurs mainly during daylight hours, specifically at rush hour. If we could stagger work shifts accordingly, we could eliminate the traffic bottlenecks that plague our country's road system. Other crowded resources would also be relieved from the effects of rush hour crowding. Day care centers, retail merchandising, and recreational facilities might benefit from a non-solar activity standard as well.
There are benefits and drawbacks to working a non-standard work shift. Traffic and noise virtually disappear at 3:00 am. There are no lines at the supermarket. However, government facilities are not open during off-hours. Most restaurants and stores are only open during peak business hours. There is much to be done before our society completely leaves the solar standard, but we have already begun to dissolve our entrenchment in obsolescence.