Social norms and societal expectations play a decisive role in how an individual perceives and experiences periods of waiting.

The Weight of Societal Expectations on the Experience of Waiting

Social norms and societal expectations play a decisive role in how an individual perceives and experiences periods of waiting. On one hand, the norms and ideals imposed by society set forth an image of what the "correct" path in life should be, generating internal pressure and an expectation to conform to these standards. This results in waiting not being merely a pause in time but rather a test of patience and moral fortitude, where the individual is forced to endure daily hardships, feeling that their own experience does not match the idealized image.

As noted in one of the sources, "And when patience becomes a rare virtue... Patience is a dedication to oneself and the expectation of daily sorrow" (source: link txt). Here, waiting emerges as an integral part of life which, in the context of societal ideals, transforms into a constant trial where patience becomes the only value, measured through suffering and self-denial.

On the other hand, social order and norms create a sort of symbolic matrix—something objective that exists "in itself"—through which an individual begins to see themselves as part of a specific, often idealized, social environment. As one of the sources explains: "This paradox characterizes the symbolic order as an order of virtuality: it does not exist 'in itself' independent of the individuals associated with it... As Hegel said about the substance of society, although it exists only thanks to the actions of individuals, it is nevertheless their SUBSTANCE, the objective 'in itself' of their social existence" (source: link txt). This objectification of social expectations means that even periods of waiting are perceived through the lens of societal standards that affect one’s personal self-perception and sense of identity.

Furthermore, the reflection of the image of an ideal social environment in one’s consciousness can intensify emotional experiences during waiting. One source notes: "if one is looked upon disapprovingly at work—while in another society he plays a major role and is held in high esteem: one does not eliminate or replace the other... Yet it is not hard to notice that this creates an image of an ideal social environment in the individual's consciousness" (source: link txt). Such a discrepancy between personal experience and imposed norms can lead to internal conflict, where waiting becomes the product of a dual relationship: on one hand, the hope for better conformity to the social ideal, and on the other, a critical evaluation of one’s own reality that seems insufficiently significant or enriched.

Finally, the very ambivalence surrounding waiting is reflected in the observation: "Even the appearance of catastrophe is a part of it...

But aside from that consideration—how long are we meant to wait, and can we truly wait, and is it possible to spend our lives in a state of inactivity, in a meaningless, indefinitely long period of waiting?

" (source: link txt). Here, waiting is perceived not only as a socially conditioned pause but also as a phenomenon that can take on a destructive character if its duration exceeds what is comprehensible and acceptable by societal standards.

Thus, social norms and societal expectations form a kind of "interpretative framework" through which an individual experiences periods of waiting. They not only dictate what the life path should be, but also influence the emotional tone of this interval, determining both its normative significance and the internal contradiction between the ideal and reality.