Why Time Flies | Alan Burdick | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Time is a complex phenomenon that goes beyond the measurement of seconds. Our perception of time is influenced by various factors, such as our understanding of past, present, and future, and our ability to synchronize with others.

Transcript

SPEAKER: Alan Burdick is a writer for "The New Yorker," "Out of Eden-- an Odyssey of Ecological Invasion" was his last book, which was a National Book Award finalist. And today he's going to talk about-- maybe one thing he should talk about is why people don't wear watches anymore. There's a lot of aspects of time which most of us probably never th... Read More

Key Insights

• ⌛ Time is a complex phenomenon that encompasses more than just the measurement of seconds.
• 🧑‍🏭 Our perception of time is influenced by factors such as our ability to synchronize with others and our understanding of past, present, and future.
• ⏲️ The correct time is determined by a network of highly accurate atomic clocks, which are synchronized globally.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do we determine the correct time?

The correct time is determined by referencing highly accurate atomic clocks, which are synchronized with each other and maintained by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Q: How does our perception of time change with age?

Developmental psychology research shows that our understanding of time evolves as we grow older, with different psychological experiences coming online at different ages.

Q: How does our perception of time affect our social interactions?

Our ability to synchronize with others and understand their perception of time contributes to effective social exchanges. Through shared experiences and gestures, we create a collective understanding of "now."

Q: Can emotions influence our perception of time?

Yes, emotions can affect our perception of time. For example, studies have shown that a sad or angry face can alter our perception of duration, making time seem longer or shorter.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker, Alan Burdick, discusses the concept of time and its various aspects, including why people no longer wear watches and how we determine the correct time.

• Burdick's book explores his personal exploration of time, focusing on tangible experiments and conversations with psychologists, neuroscientists, and biologists.

• The perception of time is multi-faceted and includes our ability to know the current time, understand the past and future, and determine the duration of events.