These Are The Times That

These Are the Times That…: How a Simple Phrase Captures History’s Pivot Points

We have all heard it, or said it ourselves. It hangs in the air during moments of profound change, whispered in living rooms, declared from podiums, and etched into diaries. “These are the times that…” The phrase is never finished in the moment; its power lies in its deliberate incompleteness. It is a linguistic placeholder, a collective intake of breath before the defining label is applied. It signals that we are not merely living through another Tuesday, but are standing at a historical hinge, a personal crossroads, or a societal inflection point. This article will explore the deep cultural, psychological, and historical resonance of this simple yet monumental phrase. We will unpack why humans feel an almost compulsive need to frame their present era as “the times that…” and how this act of naming fundamentally shapes our understanding of history, identity, and legacy.

The Anatomy of a Pivotal Phrase

At its core, “These are the times that…” is a declarative fragment that performs a dual function. First, it is an act of temporal demarcation. It draws a bright, red line in the sand of chronology, separating “before” from “after.” The speaker is asserting that the current moment is so significant, so laden with consequence, that it will be remembered, studied, and referenced for generations. It is a claim against oblivion. Second, it is a call for collective meaning-making. By leaving the sentence open, it invites others to complete it: “…test our resolve,” “…define a generation,” “…change everything.” It transforms a shared experience from a mere series of events into a narrative with a central theme.

The grammatical structure is key. The plural “times” suggests a duration, a season or an era, not a single day. This acknowledges that pivotal moments are rarely instantaneous explosions but are often prolonged periods of tension, struggle, and transformation—a war, a recession, a civil rights movement, a pandemic. The word “that” introduces a relative clause, promising a defining characteristic. The entire construction is inherently dramatic and portentous. It is the language of oratory, memoir, and historical chronicle, not of casual small talk. Its use elevates the present from the mundane to the mythic, positioning the speaker and their contemporaries as actors in a story larger than themselves.

From Personal Milestones to Global Upheaval: The Spectrum of “The Times”

The phrase operates on a spectrum, from the intimately personal to the globally historical. On the personal level, “These are the times that…” often frames life’s defining chapters. A new parent might think, “These are the times that we’ll remember for the first steps, the first words, the sheer exhaustion and joy.” A couple in their first home, a student in their final semester, an individual facing a serious illness—all may feel they are inhabiting a “time that” will forever mark their personal timeline. This personal usage is about identity formation. We narrate our lives through these pivotal seasons, and the phrase helps us consciously inhabit that narrative, to feel the weight of the moment as it happens.

On the societal and global scale, the phrase becomes a tool for collective memory and historical framing. Consider its echoes:

• “These are the times that try men’s souls.” (Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, 1776). Here, it defined the Revolutionary War era as a test of moral and physical fortitude.
• “These are the times that live in infamy.” (FDR, after Pearl Harbor, 1941). It instantly cast December 7, 1941, and the ensuing world war, as a permanent stain of shame and a call to arms.
• “These are the times that we must…” (Martin Luther King Jr., in various speeches). It framed the Civil Rights Movement as a necessary, non-negotiable season of action against injustice.

In each case, the phrase does not just describe; it prescribes. It assigns a theme—trial, infamy, necessity—and by doing so, it guides how future generations will interpret that period. It is the moment a society decides what its recent past means.

The Psychological Engine: Why We Need to Name the Moment

Our compulsion to use this phrase is rooted in fundamental cognitive and social needs. Psychologically, humans are narrative creatures. We do not experience raw, chaotic data; we construct stories to make sense of our lives and the world. The phrase “These are the times that…” is the opening line of a story we are currently living. It provides a coherent frame for what might otherwise feel like disjointed, frightening, or exhilarating chaos. It answers the silent question: “What is happening to us?” by declaring, “We are living through the times that [define us / challenge us / change us].”

Sociologically, the phrase is a powerful tool for solidarity and mobilization. When a leader or a community adopts it, they are saying: “We are all in this together. This shared experience is our common denominator.” It forges an “us” against a backdrop of change. It can be used to rally support (“These are the times that demand courage”), to issue a warning (“These are the times of great danger”), or to inspire hope (“These are the times that will birth a new future”). It transforms individual anxiety or hope into a collective, purposeful force. It acknowledges the magnitude of the present to justify extraordinary actions—sacrifice, protest, innovation, or endurance.

Real-World Applications: From Headlines to History Books

The phrase manifests everywhere once you start looking for it.

• In Journalism: Headlines during crises often implicitly or explicitly use this frame: “In Times of Crisis, Communities Rally” or “These Uncertain Times.” The entire genre of “living history” journalism during events like 9/11 or the COVID-19 pandemic relied on this concept, capturing the raw feeling of being in the moment that would be history.
• In Corporate and Institutional Communication: Companies and universities frequently use the phrase to frame challenges and transformations. “These are the times that require us to rethink education” or “In these times, our core values are our compass.” It’s a way to acknowledge difficulty while projecting purpose and continuity.
• In Personal Memoir and Social Media: Individuals constantly curate their lives into “times.” A photo album titled “The Times of Our Lives,” a Facebook post from a new parent, or a LinkedIn update from someone launching a startup all tap into this. They are mini-histories, declaring that this current chapter is significant enough to be remembered.

The danger, of course, is overuse. When applied to trivial inconveniences (“These are the times that my Wi-Fi is so slow!”), it cheapens the phrase, draining it of its gravitas. Its power depends on a shared, genuine consensus about the significance of the period.

The Theoretical Lens: Collective Memory and the “Long Now”

From a theoretical perspective, the phrase sits at the intersection of **collect