The Seasons Are Wrong
6 hours ago
- #cultural traditions
- #calendar reform
- #seasonal definitions
- The traditional calendar—with solstices and equinoxes marking season starts—is flawed because summer begins when days shorten, and winter begins when days lengthen.
- Culturally, seasons should align with extremes and transitions: summer as the hottest/longest-day period, winter as the coldest/shortest-day period, and spring/fall as transitions.
- A revised calendar proposes season starts at midpoints between equinoxes and solstices, placing summer solstice at midsummer and winter solstice at midwinter.
- New proposed season starts: Summer on May 7, Fall on August 9, Winter on November 6, and Spring on February 21.
- This perspective is not universal; many cultures, including European, Iranian, and ancient Roman traditions, view solstices as mid-season points.