Why does time go faster and faster?
When we look back, childhood seems to stretch out leisurely and slowly, while the years of adulthood fly by in the blink of an eye. This change in our perception of time is not because time itself is accelerating, but because our perception of it changes as we grow older.
当我们回顾过往，童年时光似乎悠长而缓慢，而成年后的岁月却转瞬即逝。这种对时间感知的变化，并非时间本身在加速，而是我们的感知能力在随着年龄增长而发生变化。
To explain this phenomenon, philosopher Paul Janet proposed the theory of age proportion. He believed that human perception of time is relative, and age plays a crucial role in it. As we age, the percentage of a unit of time in our lives gradually decreases, making that period feel relatively faster.
为了解释这一现象，哲学家保罗·珍妮特提出了年龄比重论理论。他认为，人对时间的感知是相对的，并且年龄在其中起着至关重要的作用。随着年龄的增加，单位时间在我们生命中所占的百分比逐渐减少，因此，这段时间就感觉相对变快了。
Imagine this: for a 10-year-old child, one year is equivalent to 10% of their life, which is a considerable length of time. During this period, they experience many firsts, and each novel experience deepens their perception of time. However, for a 20-year-old young adult, this proportion quickly drops to 5%, and the weight of time seems to halve. And when a person reaches the threshold of 60 years old, one year accounts for less than 2% of their life, and time passes almost unnoticed.
想象一下，对于一个10岁的孩子来说，一年的时间相当于他们生命的10%，这是一段相当长的时光。他们在这段时间里经历了许多第一次，每一次的新奇体验都加深了他们对时间的感知。然而，对于一个20岁的年轻人来说，这个比例迅速降到了5%，时间的重量似乎减轻了一半。而当一个人步入60岁的门槛，一年时间在他们生命中所占的比例已不足2%，这时的时间流逝几乎是在不经意间悄然滑过。
This change in perception is not merely a subjective feeling; it has profound psychological roots. As we grow older, we experience more events in life, and the accumulation of time makes our perception of a unit of time relatively shorter. As Einstein humorously said, "When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, you think it's only a minute, but when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think it's two hours." Although the metaphor is humorous, it deeply reveals the relativity of our perception of time.
这种感知的变化，并非仅仅是一种主观的感受，它有着深刻的心理学依据。随着年龄的增长，我们经历了更多的生活事件，时间的积累使得我们对单位时间的感知变得相对较短。：“当你和一位漂亮姑娘坐在一起时，你会觉得时间过得很快；但如果你坐在一个热火炉上，你会觉得时间过得很慢。”虽然比喻带有幽默色彩，但它却深刻地揭示了我们对时间感知的相对性。
The theory of age proportion not only explains why time seems to pass faster as we age but also reminds us to cherish every moment. Because regardless of the stage of life we are in, time is passing at its constant pace. We should learn to slow down, feel every instant of life, and make time feel long and fulfilling in our perception again.
年龄比重论理论不仅解释了为什么年龄越大时间感觉过得越快，还提醒我们要珍惜每一刻的时光。因为无论我们处于生命的哪个阶段，时间都在以它恒定的速度流逝。我们应该学会放慢脚步，去感受生活的每一个瞬间，让时间在我们的感知中重新变得悠长而充实。
"The person who lives the most meaningful life is not the one who lives the longest years but the one who feels life the most." Let us, within our limited time, feel the beauty of life with our hearts and make every moment full of meaning and value.
“生活得最有意义的人，并不就是年岁活得最大的人，而是对生活最有感受的人。”让我们在有限的时间里，用心去感受生活的美好，让每一刻都充满意义和价值。
