Relative Time

I’m writing this while sitting in line outside Best Buy. I got a tip they were restocking the Nintendo Switch 2, which has been sold out everywhere since launch. My son Sage's 8th birthday is on Saturday, and this was pretty much my last hope to get him one in time.

I know it's cliché to say "I can't believe he's turning 8," but time really does fly. And the older we get, the faster it seems to move, because time is relative to our perspective.

For Sage, one year is 1/8th of his life. That's 12.5%, a big chunk. For me, a year is more like 1/40th, just 2.5%. Each year feels smaller, like it's rushing by, because it is in the perspective of our life. As we age, time compresses.

We often look back and judge our younger selves through today's eyes. If only I had bought Bitcoin… or NVIDIA stock… ten years ago. I'd be x% richer.

But that kind of hindsight ignores context. We forget what it was like to be in our twenties: broke, uncertain, and risk-averse for good reason. The easiest way to get rich is to already be rich. It's easy to invest long-term when you don't need the money short-term. When every dollar matters, risk looks a lot different.

Oh, got to go. Looks like Best Buy is opening…

Bag secured. Don't tell Sage.

I even got the new Donkey Kong Bananza

[…hours later] Now where was I?

Ah yes, time and regret.

Earlier today, I was in a meeting where the topic was Gen Z. The conversation centered around the defining events of their generation: the anxiety of COVID, the rise of digital activism, and a financial worldview shaped by watching their parents navigate a recession. The bottom line? A lot of Gen Z Americans think “we ‘re f**cked” (actual quote from the presentaiton).

There are also differences in communication style, career expectations, and perceptions of what’s possible. They are digitally native, entrepreneurial, and more pragmatic than other generations. They have a stronger focus on mental health and global issues.

Every generation tends to look down on the ones that follow. "They just don't get it," we say. But what if it's the older generations who don't get it?

We expect them to behave as we did, but they're not growing up in the same world. Homeownership is harder. Traditional career paths are less stable. The so-called American Dream keeps moving further out of reach.

It's hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes when they're walking a completely different path. Maybe instead of telling them to toughen up or think like us, we should challenge ourselves to understand what it’s like to be them.

Time flies, wealth compounds, and generations evolve. But empathy? That’s a choice.

Sage turns 8 this weekend. He'll probably remember the gift more than the effort it took to get it. But I'll remember this moment, a reminder of how fast it's all moving, and how important it is to try and see the world through someone else's eyes.

So, you'll probably find me playing Mario Kart and Donkey Kong this weekend, because spending time with my family is something I know I won't regret.

Don't get captured,

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