Time, in its essence, is something that cannot be seen, heard, or touched. It can, however, be seen and felt through the passing of years as both living beings and inanimate objects deteriorate. Take for example Stonehenge in the U.K. This mammoth ring of stones has seen the passage of thousands of years of history from about 3100 BC to the present day, and yet it still stands. Although Stonehenge is certainly not as glorious as it once was, this megalithic structure proves that at some point in history, before time was recorded in a way that we are all familiar with, human beings (or aliens, if you more inclined to that theroy...) existed and prospered. Anywhere you look there is evidence of the passing of time; towering trees, libraries filled with books, and even reruns on television. Just this morning I watched a rerun of Spongebob while getting ready for brunch, and even that shows how the passage of time changes things. When I was little and watched shows like Spongebob when they first aired, the animation was fuzzy and not as professional as it is now, which proves that time aids in progress. (And I am not ashamed to admit that I watch cartoons on occasion--sometimes a little mindless entertainment gives the brain a much needed rest).
With the passage of time comes the question of why time passes at different rates for different people. Will time pass more slowly for a person who is thinking about time than for a person who is out taking advantage of it? For example; two people have an hour to "spare", one decides to do homework, and the other decides to meet a friend for lunch. I am assuming that time will appear to pass more quickly for the person who is out with his or her friend, and time will drag for the person doing homework. I suppose the phrase "Time flies when you're having fun" is quite appropriate in almost any situation. I have always wondered why time appears to move faster while enjoying oneself and moves much more slowly when one is doing a mundane task such as homework or even just waiting for a certain hour to arrive. I suppose looking into the matter further might provide some sort of an answer, but at the moment I am running out of time for this blog entry.
2 comments:
Your wonder over why time seems to pass by faster when we're enjoying ourselves is something I've pondered as well. Of course, an hour is an hour, but our perception of an hour is definitely affected by how we spend it. If I may refer to your example, doing homework requires thinking (and usually resistance/not wanting to do the task) and therefore, requires more concentration, worry, and desire to get through it. Conversing with a friend is far less stressful. It doesn't require searching for answers. You're usually worry-free and living in the moment while you're with friends; not waiting for it to be over. I'm not sure I'm making sense...but in any case, I do think that living in the moment makes time seem to go by a lot faster than worrying about the future or living in the past.
I agree with IP, and would only add that the apparent rate of time's flow is a function of the number and variety of opportunities to demarcate, vividly recall, or isolate moments of any particular span of experience.
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