The Core

Why We Are Here => Water Cooler => Topic started by: rcjordan on June 07, 2026, 01:56:49 PM

Title: Time seems to speed up as we age... this may be close, but no cigar.
Post by: rcjordan on June 07, 2026, 01:56:49 PM
Why the years seem to speed up as we age, and how focusing on one thing might make time feel slower again

https://spacedaily.com/m-why-the-years-seem-to-speed-up-as-we-age-and-how-focusing-on-one-thing-might-make-time-feel-slower-again/
Title: Re: Time seems to speed up as we age... this may be close, but no cigar.
Post by: ergophobe on June 07, 2026, 02:51:53 PM
I don't quite buy this.

I have an idea I call The Slow Zone, stolen from Vernor Vinge's sci-fi where it refers to different parts of the galaxy.

At both ends, things seem to move fast. Look at the last few years for you RC. In the middle years, things slow down.

My proof? Imagine a 35yo dating a 15yo. Yeah, not good. Now imagine a 55yo starting to date a 35yo. That describes one very happy marriage in know. Now imagine an 85yo starting to date a 65yo. It starts to feel "off" again (if I became single, there is a zero percent chance I would date an 85yo) because they have exited the Slow Zone.

And I don't know about the novelty thesis. No years of my life have ever felt as long as my years of depression. Maybe they had a lot of novelty but so did years that flew by. As Dylan said, "But I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."
Title: Re: Time seems to speed up as we age... this may be close, but no cigar.
Post by: rcjordan on June 07, 2026, 03:03:51 PM
>no cigar

The article focuses on memories. At 76, what I'm experiencing is in real time.  For instance (pun, I guess), my first cup of coffee can kill 30 minutes or more.  Pick up my laptop and start browsing my feeds ...2-3 hours gone in a flash.

I'm starting to make use of it. Gonna have a 3-hour wait for a doctor? No big deal, I don't even worry about carrying a laptop for entertainment.

+
Oh, and coding?  Time goes at warp speed. I look up and 8 hours flew by.