Nature Of Time

[nailit]

Why does time seem to speed up as you get older?
Everyone I speak to says the same, as you age the years go quicker. Ive read some weird stuff (when I was much younger) about the nature of time but cant remember much, if any, of it now.
And what is that thing about, where the faster you travel the slower time passes? Could never wrap my head around that. We tend to see time as one moment simply following another but its obviously not.
Thanks in advance.

[Old_Geezer]

Yes.

I have always thought it is because the yardstick known as a lifetime becomes a bigger ratio to any other time period you compare it to. But I have read somewhere that time seems to fly because each day starts to be the same and all blends into one. So before you know it a day, week, month, or even a year has slipped by.

Whatever is happening it is in your head, not a fundamental characteristic of time. They do say that variety is the spice of life.

[fiction-factory]

Maybe it's all relative - when you are 10 a year is 10% of your life so far and so seems a long time, whereas when you are 50 each year is only 2% of your life so far and passes relatively quickly.

[Old_Geezer]

To compensate I try to contribute to different threads here every day.

[237SJ]

A year is a huge proportion of your life when you are 5 years old but when you are 50 years old, it is but a small fraction. I think that is why it seems no time at all

[jim360]

There are two different questions here. I can't really answer the first one, although I suppose the point is that generally as humans age they start to lose faculties, including the proper perception of time (which is anyway something we don't always have perfectly anyway).

Give me a second to think about the second question and I'll get back to you.

[Old_Geezer]

As I understand it, time for the person moving doesn't slow down, it is the observer that sees them slowing down, and vice versa.

Time dilatation http://www.emc2-explained.info/Time-Dilation/#.WlfLblPLdGM

[Old_Geezer]

I CORRECTED THAT TYPO AND SOMETHING PUT IT BACK !!!!!
...DILATION ...

[nailit]

Thanks for speedy replies guys.
O-G, surely if your life was mundane and boring then time would seem to go slower not quicker. Personal analogy here, last time I was in prison I only served 4 weeks...it seemed like 4 years (of bordom) Last time I was on holiday was for 2 weeks, but went by like 2 days.

[237SJ]

If you have nothing to do, time drags.

[Old_Geezer]

As a general thing wrt age, short times are noted differently than long times. The seconds might go slower, but it is the longer times that seem to speed by.

As for being in an unpleasant situation, well that would be a different mental process taking place. You'd be only too aware of always wanting out all the time. Conversely for pleasant situations, because all 14 days seemed like 2.

[nailit]

//If you have nothing to do, time drags.//
Yes, that was my point to O-Gs statement
//I have read somewhere that time seems to fly because each day starts to be the same and all blends into one. So before you know it a day, week, month, or even a year has slipped by//

[nailit]

See what you mean O-G. But time seems to fly when you get older no matter what your life experiences.

[237SJ]

But I find that when I go on holiday for 10 or 12 days or so, the first week goes by really slowly and then after that, the time goes by really quickly. I think that the mind starts to think ahead without realising it

[jim360]

Just glanced at OG's link and I think it's a pretty good explanation. I'd suggest reading that and then feel free to come back with any questions you may have, and I'll try to answer them.

[Old_Geezer]

That seems feasible. The first week is all novelty. The second has become the norm.

[nailit]

That's interesting 237...Last time I was on holiday I remember thinking after about 3-4 days how quickly it seemed to be going despite having another week and a half to go.

[237SJ]

Yes. That doesn't explain why the 6 week school summer holiday lasted for ages though. Maybe it's back to the proportion of your life

[237SJ]

Sorry- that was in reply to OG

[nailit]

Thanks jim, havnt had a look just yet but will do.
fiction factory's post seems feasible.

[Old_Geezer]

It seemed to last for ages until it was at an end :-(