Time is a subjective experience. It is always in flux only because we are always in flux. Time ticks on, and the moment is as constant as this passage. In fact there are two nows, but I'll go into that next. So why does time seem to always be speeding up in our lives? Each year is shorter or faster than the last, each day, a smaller interval unto the next. Here's why:
When we are born we are zero (at least in our culture). As soon as a single day has passed that day has been 100% of our life. By the time we are two days old, a day has dropped in proportional value to 50% (wow! That's worse than buying a new car!). By the time we are three days old a day has again devalued to 33% of our life. There is a mathematical equation here, and you can substitute any quantitative value for "day" that you like. Q for quantity or number of time units being used to measure our life, q for the unit itself (one quanta), and N for number of units that have passed. So;
q * n = Q
q/Q = devalued percentage of q
q = the weighted value of a year
Now take this on a comparative basis, if you are the modest age of 28 years old (as I purport) the equation looks like this
1 year * 28 years old = 28 years old
1 year/28 years old = 3.5% q
when I am 29 q = 1/29 = 3.4%
A better mathematics student could turn this into an elegant equation, I cannot. However what this does show is that each unit of measurement is further devalued as you age, so there fore each day year, month, whatever you are older, is shorter and a smaller percentage of your life. Time does not get faster, your appreciation of it perceptually dwindles.
The Two Nows deserves it's own post. Coming soon.
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