Personalizing the Passage of Time

For years when I would try to go to sleep, I would entertain myself with little thought experiments. Sometimes I still play this game.

One of the most fun ways to stretch my mind is to think about what time means. I do this through all sorts of lenses, especially physics. Trying to make sense of things that seem almost impossible to understand is perfect for a restless mind that won’t otherwise be quieted. Like letting a toddler exhaust herself so she can have a nice nap later, sometimes your mind needs to chew on something conceptually challenging.

The passage of time is one such arena of thought, especially as it pertains to history and anthropology—the stories of us and how we got to where we are today.

But looking back several centuries, or even further, the question arises: how do you make sense of that much time?

My answer involves a standard unit of measurement I’m going to call the Goatfury. More on that below.

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