Magnifying Time

The podcast, "Unsupervised Learning," hosted by Daniel Miessler, explores the concept that novelty and attention extend one's lifespan by slowing down the perception of time, while routine and distraction accelerate it. Miessler explains that children experience time slowly due to constant novelty, whereas adults, falling into patterns and distraction, perceive time as passing quickly. He introduces two states of living: "aware," where attention is focused and makes everyday things extraordinary, and "hijacked," where one is unaware of thoughts and feelings, becoming consumed by them, often through rumination on negative events. Drawing from Sam Harris's meditation teachings, Miessler suggests that controlling attention can slow time. He proposes three methods to combat the "hijacked" state and enhance life quality: practicing meditation to achieve brief moments of awareness, incorporating more novelty into daily life, and prioritizing creation over consumption, as creation demands focus and often involves novelty. By adopting these practices, individuals can magnify the quality and perceived duration of their lives.