No matter how many ways I see it represented, I still can't truly grasp how much more a billion is compared to a million. And I suspect most people are in that same boat.
It’s interesting that the numbers per se are meaningless to us. Yes, billion is a thousand times more, but what is 11 days thousand times? No idea, long. Turns out it’s 31 years long! Nice thought.
I, mean, it’s just not obvious. You can calculate that, but what I’m saying is people aren’t too good with numbers. And we’re constantly manipulated because of that. Mainly to buy something, but also in others departments too.
E.g. try to do 5 minutes of intensive daily exercises, and bam! It’s over half an hour a week! Which is ⅓ of those who do three 30-minutes sessions a week. Try ten minutes a day, and it’s over an hour a week! Try fifteen minutes a day, and not many people do more sport than you!
Throughout my life, I saw countless examples of how small numbers unfold into something quite big. But mainly with money, and how recklessly they are spent.
I addressed this in my comment when I said people just aren't thinking it through. The only people surprised that 10 minutes of exercise every day adds up to more than an hour a week are people just not thinking it though. Wow shocker, 10 × 7 = 70, that's totally not intuitive.
The concept movie In Time with Justin Timberlake thematizes it. In it the people don't have abstract money like us, they have lifetime which ticks down. The poor people live from day to day and only make money for one more day, the rich have milions of years.
22 Comments
Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 48 pts · 152d
No matter how many ways I see it represented, I still can't truly grasp how much more a billion is compared to a million. And I suspect most people are in that same boat.
FrostyTheDoo@lemmy.world · 31 pts · 152d
"how much more is a billion than a million? About a billion"
yermaw@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 152d
Im sure we're not designed for such massive massive massive numbers.
TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 151d
Try sand next time. You can see individual grains, and you’ve walked on a beach. These experiences should give you some intuition.
then_three_more@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 151d
I think that time is probably the most relatable and human scaled for million to billion, but even that goes out if scale between billion and trillion
Bananskal@nord.pub · 1 pts · 67d
The jump from relatable to unrelatable is rather effective as well. 32 years, compared to 32 thousand years. It's jarring if anything.
Fleur_@aussie.zone · 0 pts · 150d
1000 times.
1mm to 1m
1g to 1kg
1mL to 1L
Cevilia@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 14 pts · 152d
wltr@discuss.tchncs.de · 11 pts · 152d
It’s interesting that the numbers per se are meaningless to us. Yes, billion is a thousand times more, but what is 11 days thousand times? No idea, long. Turns out it’s 31 years long! Nice thought.
Fleur_@aussie.zone · 2 pts · 150d
How? I refuse to believe this and people just aren't thinking it through.
11 days × 1000 is 11 000 days
Theres 365 days in a year so it's about 30 years.
Don't even need a calculator to do this math.
wltr@discuss.tchncs.de · 2 pts · 149d
I, mean, it’s just not obvious. You can calculate that, but what I’m saying is people aren’t too good with numbers. And we’re constantly manipulated because of that. Mainly to buy something, but also in others departments too.
Throughout my life, I saw countless examples of how small numbers unfold into something quite big. But mainly with money, and how recklessly they are spent.
Fleur_@aussie.zone · 2 pts · 149d
I addressed this in my comment when I said people just aren't thinking it through. The only people surprised that 10 minutes of exercise every day adds up to more than an hour a week are people just not thinking it though. Wow shocker, 10 × 7 = 70, that's totally not intuitive.
BreadOven@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 150d
No one should have a billion dollars. Thanks for the visualization though.
jeena@piefed.jeena.net · 3 pts · 149d
The concept movie In Time with Justin Timberlake thematizes it. In it the people don't have abstract money like us, they have lifetime which ticks down. The poor people live from day to day and only make money for one more day, the rich have milions of years.
BreadOven@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 149d
Interesting. I haven't seen that one.
Bananskal@nord.pub · 2 pts · 67d
It's really good from what I remember. Strong recommendation.
Fleur_@aussie.zone · 1 pts · 150d
Except me of course 👍
billwashere@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 151d
Great… I’ve been alive for over 1.7 billion seconds. Glad you found a way to make me feel even older 🤷♂️😀
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 151d
700 millionaire gang where are you?
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 151d
I'm more than a billion seconds old
Akasazh@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 151d
And if you earned a dollar every second you where alive, you were just a small time billionaire.
AffineConnection@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 151d
I should have a party when I turn 10^9^ seconds old.
Kolanaki@pawb.social · 1 pts · 150d
11574.074 days