Quote · Modern Wisdom
Black Holes, Denny’s Fist Fights & Japanese Handjob Culture - Rabbit Hole #4 - #1118
Where this was said
Why Time With Loved Ones Matters More Than You Think
At 1:14:40 · chapter starts 1:11:16
Tim Urban describes writing his 'tail end' post while procrastinating on the SpaceX piece — a short piece dashed off in a morning that became one of his most impactful. The core insight: time with loved ones is not evenly distributed across a lifetime. A child sees parents 300-plus days a year; a working adult might see them 15. If you're seeing your parents 15 days a year, you need 20 years to equal one childhood year of contact — and by graduation, you may already be 95% through your total in-person relationship with them. Tim Ferriss says the post, shared by his friend Matt Mullenweg, catalysed his habit of annual multi-week family trips while his parents were still physically capable. Tim Urban adds that the post has prompted people to move back home — effectively changing the equation from 94% done to 81% done — and has made him insist on family gatherings every eight weeks.
After leaving home, seeing parents just 15 days a year means you need 20 years to equal one childhood year of contact. Do the maths, and by graduation you're likely 95% through your total in-person relationship with them. The insight has moved families to relocate — and made Tim Ferriss start annual multi-week family trips.
After leaving home, adults seeing parents just 15 days a year need 20 years to equal one childhood year of contact, meaning most people have already used up ~95% of their total in-person time with parents by the time they graduate.
