Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#1

Post by motohagiography » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:20 PM UTC

Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)
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Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#2

Post by weatherlight » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:36 PM UTC

I'm curious to know how time passes for those who can't/couldn't see..

I always assumed time passing rapidly had to do with novelty, when you are a child, everything is novel, as you get older, situations become less novel and aren't "remembered".

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#3

Post by emreb » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:37 PM UTC

There is a simpler layman's explanation for this one. As you get older every second of your life starts being a smaller percentage of your overall experience. When you a 2 years old, 1 hour is 1/17520 of your life. When you are 50 years old, 1 hour is 1/438000 of your life.

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#4

Post by necrotic_comp » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:39 PM UTC

I really don't feel this at all. I am constantly doing new things, constantly learning things, and time feels like it stretches on forever. I'm over 40, so this isn't the effect of me just starting my career.

10 years ago feels 10 years ago, and this effect of time speeding up just doesn't register with me.

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#5

Post by Wowfunhappy » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:39 PM UTC

emreb wrote: post #3

There is a simpler layman's explanation for this one. As you get older every second of your life starts being a smaller percentage of your overall experience. When you a 2 years old, 1 hour is 1/17520 of your life. When you are 50 years old, 1 hour is 1/438000 of your life.

It’s not immediately obvious to me why this would result in the perception that time moves more quickly.

The theory in the article did strike me as quite plausible.

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#6

Post by djmips » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:40 PM UTC

Another hunch that I have is that as you get older you tend to have less unique experiences. I believe our brains compress the information and an entire day that was much like the previous day can just feel like it sped by quickly. Alternatively, if you go on vacation or change your routine then time will slow down as you process a lot of new information.

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#7

Post by gmfawcett » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:41 PM UTC

emreb wrote: post #3

There is a simpler layman's explanation for this one. As you get older every second of your life starts being a smaller percentage of your overall experience. When you a 2 years old, 1 hour is 1/17520 of your life. When you are 50 years old, 1 hour is 1/438000 of your life.

I don't understand how that explains the sense of speed-up?

E.g. when I read a novel, the last few pages don't fly by any faster than the first ones do.

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#8

Post by xahrepap » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:41 PM UTC

I've always assumed part of it is more relative. Meaning: When I'm 5, 10 years old seems like a lifetime away... because it is. Going from 5 to 6 is, relatively speaking, the same as going from 50 to 60. I assume my brain has so much to look back on as I'm older to compare against that 1 year just "feels" like less now.

With that said, I'm sure there's a million explanations. And all of them are probably, at least somewhat, true.

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#9

Post by yosito » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:42 PM UTC

This is a completely vapid article. The headline implies an answer. This short article starts with "nobody knows" and ends with "one guy's random idea is...".

Re: Why time “speeds up” as we get older (2019)

#10

Post by endisneigh » Thu, Nov 04, 2021, 4:42 PM UTC

If true, how do you fight this without actually going on more unique experiences?

I like to think there are some weird swirly images or static noise I can watch/listen to while going about my life that will "novelize" everything. hah.