Subjective flow of time

[Hans de Vries]

Lots of folks say time flows faster the older you are. That's ofc a subjective illusion.

Is there some subset of population for whom its' the other way around? 

[StringJunky]

The more mundane your life is, the faster time flows because, apparently, one uses significant life events as markers and tend to forget ther mundane stuff in between. This gives the impression that the 'significant' events seem like they happened sooner than they did. In very young children, days are subjectively  long because they are filled with new experiences every day, so their memory is filled with memorable events, giving them the impression time is 'slow'. If that makes any sense.

Edited November 9, 2020 by StringJunky

[joigus]

2 hours ago, StringJunky said:

The more mundane your life is, the faster time flows because, apparently, one uses significant life events as markers and tend to forget ther mundane stuff in between. This gives the impression that the 'significant' events seem like they happened sooner than they did. In very young children, days are subjectively  long because they are filled with new experiences every day, so their memory is filled with memorable events, giving them the impression time is 'slow'. If that makes any sense.

That's a great answer. I remember when I was a kid my summer holidays felt like an alternative life. Full of experiences that seemed like brought from another world.

[StringJunky]

1 hour ago, joigus said:

That's a great answer. I remember when I was a kid my summer holidays felt like an alternative life. Full of experiences that seemed like brought from another world.

Yes. The obvious solution to 'lengthening' ones life is to keep it interesting and regularly diverge from routine where one can.

[J.C.MacSwell]

Part of it is also the asymmetry. My first 10 years affected all my memories up to turning 10, my last 10 just a fraction of them.

So I recall relatively smaller fractions of all I remember as I age, for each decade of my existence.

That can lead me the illusion that time is passing more quickly.

Edited November 9, 2020 by J.C.MacSwell