If you have any thoughts on this phenomenon, I'd be glad to hear from you. Thanks.
2007-10-05 05:23:26 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
I once read that our perception of time changes as we age. It has to do with the amount of time we've been alive. When a 5 year old asks, "how long until Christmas" and we say "2 months", it seems like an eternity. Why? Because to the 5 year old, it's a huge % of the time they've been around. Now, to us, 2 months is nothing. We've gotten used to waiting and 2 months is a very small amount of time compared to how long we've been here.
I realize this isn't very eloquent but I hope it makes sense to you.
2007-10-05 06:34:16 · answer #1 · answered by katydid 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Well, you know how in the movies the bomb has only 1 minute before it blows and as the counter gets closer to 0 is gets faster and faster? I think life is like that. Then again, time flys when you are having fun!
2007-10-05 09:23:57 · answer #2 · answered by cardiac1984 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sure is like that for me too. I think it's because I grew up in a time when everything, not just time, was slower. The world in general is moving at a faster pace, everyone wants things done-right now! There is just so much going on, we can't keep up. That how I feel anyway.
2007-10-05 06:01:24 · answer #3 · answered by luvspbr2 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Be glad you feel this way. My dear friend nearing 80 has the opposite feeling. She is depressed and spends too much time alone in her home. She thinks she has outlived her usefullness because she no longer goes out to work. She says the tv depresses her more. I spent 4 hours with her yesterday and she was pleading for me to stay longer. There are not enough hours in the day for me to complete my to do list. We are blessed that time moves fast for us.
2007-10-05 05:57:22 · answer #4 · answered by Southern Comfort 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it's because we have to pay attention to so many more things. Wasn't till I had kids that time really flew. But I wasn't just paying attention to me anymore or what effected just me.....I was paying attention to so many other things at the same time and it's effects on other people. Plans, consequences of choices, long term effects, budgets, work, etc. Mind going in a thousand different directions and no time to appreciate the here and now.
2007-10-05 06:09:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think its a comparison thing; as we get older we have more time behind us (the past) to compare present time with. For instance, when a person is ten years old, one year is one-tenth of his/her lifetime. But at age sixty, one year is only one-sixtieth of his/her lifetime. So, at age sixty, time seems and feels to go by much quicker in comparison to the feeling of time passage at age ten. At age sixty, five years ago was a short while ago and that person was age 55 (not much younger), while at age ten five years ago was half of that person's life time.
Oh well, that's the best I can do.
2007-10-05 16:46:54 · answer #6 · answered by TRAF 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it has always been that way because I can remember my grandparents and parents saying the same thing. I think it is our perception because we are more media savy and find out anything at the touch of a button and the stores don't help with their seasons overlapping. It's just thanksgiving here and we are wading through Hallowe'en stuff at the same time.
2007-10-05 06:49:54 · answer #7 · answered by Donna 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I've always thought that it was because of the relationship of time to the years already lived. For example, one year represents 1/10th of your life when you are 10 years old but only 1/60th of your life when you are 60 years old. It is only a perception but it may affect how we "know" time. Just a thought....
2007-10-05 09:45:25 · answer #8 · answered by yoga guy 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
IMO, because we are more AWARE. When children we actually had no concept of time....only the present. As young adults we felt omnipotent and time was JUST a concept, not a reality and certainly not one we'd reach any time in the foreseeable future. We now have more years behind us than are in front of us and we are ever cognizant of it and whether we realize it or not, we now measure life by time - how much- when - what's left - how slow - how fast- not enough...etc etc etc instead of living in the moment as we did as children and just savoring and enjoying it :-)
2007-10-05 06:10:03 · answer #9 · answered by sage seeker 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My own theory is that it takes us 3 times longer to do anything, and much more effort to get thru the day,so we are more tired and cat nap during the day and therefore when we look at the clock its almost time to get supper and go to bed. How's that theory!
2007-10-05 09:10:40 · answer #10 · answered by lonepinesusan 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋