January '20

We immediately realized a fatal limitation to this approach, as there are many crucial parts of life that elude our eyes. Consider, for instance, the fluttering of a bee’s wings or a whizzing hockey puck. Our brain wisely concludes that such speed would make our heads spin and opts to add “motion blur”. That is something you can test right away. Just start waving your hand in front of your face as fast as you can. The resulting blur is a manifestation of the above-mentioned phenomenon. I would only recommend not attempting this scientific experiment publicly.

We see this blind spot on the other side of the speed spectrum as well. Can the naked eye notice flowers blossom or lakes freeze over? Processes that happen at a glacial pace are key for our lives. Good fortune that is acquired hastily is fleeting and the strongest health is that which is strengthened gradually.

If it seems to you that you are not moving towards your goals, keep in mind that perception can be deceptive and think of your newest sock model. At first, it seems to have a dominating horizontal pattern but, in reality, the pattern rises from your toes to the upper hem of your sock. A small inclination can go a long way after some time.