When I was a pre-teenager (and then later as a teenager), I use to think about things like the universe and time. So now I’m going to write my rambling childhood thoughts about the universe and time below.
Time
With “Time” we usually associate a starting point, a duration, and an ending point. Time is always running and measurable, it’s quite an amazing concept really. But Time must not really exist, at least at some more permanent level. There can’t be a beginning and there must not be an ending.
There must be a form of pulsing (like the Big Bang Theory), where our Universe expands, then contracts in a continuous cycle.
To be honest, to think that there is no such thing as time kind of freaks me out. After all, it’s all that we known our entire life. What I mean by this is that at a higher level, there is no such thing as time in that there is no start or end times to the existence of matter. It’s always has been there, it must have been.
Okay, I’m not going to dwell on this because it really does freak me out, even today!
The Universe
As a child, first I thought that our solar system was like an atom in many respects. Then later, I thought that our Universe was like an atom too. Then much later, I wondered if all the universes that we know of is part of a larger atom and so forth, continuously becoming part of the atom cyclic pattern, and then somehow everything circles in on itself to become an atom on our planet, and all of the heavenly bodies. etc.
It’s still an odd concept for me that there is not boundary to matter, we don’t have an edge of existence… We can’t it’s not possible, this is also a weird concept for me. Not only does time not exist for matter, but neither does boundaries to matter.
Now as an adult, I just live in my little space on a little ball of a planet and just enjoy life the best that I can in the little time that I have on it that I do.
Conclusion
I had some weird thoughts as a kid, and to be honest, I still don’t know the answers. But I will say, as an adult, I no longer want to know, ignorance is bliss…
Below is a youtube video that is the classical piece by Samuel Barber called “Adagio for strings“. It has a video of space, but truthfully, I just like the music! If you listen to it, I’m sure you’ve heard it before in plenty of movies.
-MR
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I used to think about such things in my spare time… then I started thinking about boys… then math… then economics.
The freakiest thing to me has always been the concept of space. There is space between everything. Even atoms are just a framework surrounding relatively large spaces. All we are is outlines filled with nothing but space and more outlines. I’ve also wondered at the nothingness beyond where our expanding universe has reached. Nothing is there, but isn’t nothing something? (Ponderings brought to you by me at age 12 or so, while waiting for a piano lesson.)
I know exactly what you mean!
We don’t really know what is out there, we think we know the answers, but not really.
I can’t think about things like space and time or I get all confused and overwhelmed. Not to mention, I don’t think anyone has all the answers yet.
I agree, ignorance is bliss.
As a kid I use to think about thoughts like that a lot. Seemed like I was the only one though, at least growing up.
Now I don’t have time for such things 🙂
Sometimes I still think about stuff like that when I can’t fall asleep. Unfortunately (fortunately?) I have no problem falling asleep now. Next time you’re checking out a book on tape for your commute may I suggest something by Kurt Vonnegut? He was never really considered a Sci-fi writer but he dealt with a lot of the theme. Time Quake and Breakfast for Champion deals a lot with our concept of time.
Oh, and while I really enjoy your finance related posts it’s cool to see the other, none money side of Money Reason every once in awhile!
The best explanation of the Universe I learnt from the movie Men In Black – the final scene!
I won’t be surprised if it does turn out to be true! Heck, we’ll never know!
Hmm, If memory serves me correctly, isn’t it that we all live in a locker? lol, that was a strange movie!
If it was out earlier when I was a kid, it would have answered all my questions back then…
Wow, you were a weird kid 😉
Good questions on time and the universe, but the answer is still 42.