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We are in the year 2016. Next year, it’s gonna be  2017. And the year after 2018, and so on. That’s the way it goes for many years. When we count upwards we (believe that we) know that there is no end, that time is limitless, and we can count time forever. This metric system is good for our psychology, it makes us feel good, make us somehow …immortal.

So, I wonder, what if we counted time backwards? Let’s say for example that from next year we will yell “Happy new year -50” and the year after “Happy new year -49” until we reach year 0. And if we live more (or for those who are still alive), we start counting backwards as before, every 50 years. We will count backwards time every 50 years, because if we count (for example) every 200 or 300 years it’s the same as we count time now. Also, counting every 50 years we feel that the end is near. It’s also helpful when we can start counting to put a number near 50. For example: first 50 years will be -50 (10), then -50 (9) etc.

Also, we will count date backwards. Each month will start from its end, for example on January 1st, we will count it as January 31st until it reaches to January 1st and then February will start from 28th (or 29th) etc etc.

So, today’s date its 2nd of October -50 (10). Tomorrow it will be 1st  of October –50 (10).

It has no meaning to count months backwards, months aren’t exactly date or time. Speaking of time, we will also count it backwards, I mean hours and minutes. For example at midnight, time will start from 24:00, 23:59, 23:58 etc.

I am aware that only prisoners, soldiers and students in school count time backwards but sometimes we do the same (when we are waiting for something good to happen, like the birth of our kid.

So, will this affect us in our lives? Of course it will because many people will start thinking in different way realizing that time (our time) is coming to an end. Maybe they’ll change their behavior, and become better persons. The alibi we have of endless time (even in the back of our heads) now will cease to exist, we know that the end is coming year by year, month by month. Maybe we shall become more stressful.

Of course some may say that counting time backwards is going to make us worse persons. When we know that time is ending, we become weaker, and take out all our faults. But this has been happening for ages.

I also believe that It’s very tricky to play with human nature, it’s very tricky to play with mind. Speaking of mind, everything it’s on our mind, even time, even how we perceive the world, images, sounds all these we call “reality”.

Counting time backwards it’s a battle between us, and (what we call) reality. A battle that affects our minds and our lives. Only those who have consciousness, or control of their mind could win. But, what is winning? There is no trophy, no prize, only the knowledge that after all, time is limitless. Yes, time is limitless, but also, humanity is limitless!! Why? Because we will realize that time, does not have the meaning we think it had, time, it’s only a condition of mind! I know it’s hard to understand that, it’s an everyone’s personal state of mind.  What is time in the vastness of universe? Who says that we live here? That we live now? Who says how long we live? We say that, because we have learnt counting. So, it’s the metric system that we are used to …lost in time? No, it’s our perception.

I know that many philosophers ‘ have a theory about time. Did anyone think of time as something that’s ending? That it is only in our mind to “control” time? Did anyone think what will happen to us, to our minds, if we count time backwards?

Maybe many people have thought about it, I don’t have all the knowledge to know who. What I am curious is how I, you, someone else, can change his/her beliefs, his/her view on reality by counting time backwards. It’s difficult to do that someone by himself, but not impossible.

Personally, I did that a long time ago (as well as I could). I did that not for an experiment, I did that more to see how I would feel.

The result was impressive. I didn’t believe how I felt, I didn’t believe of what I discovered for myself, for time. Of course I’m not going to say what I discovered; this is personal. The topic is what each one of you will find out for yourselves. If anyone of you dare, go for it. I believe it’s worth the trouble. However, It’s a big risk. As I wrote before: it’s very tricky to play with human nature, it’s very tricky to play with mind.

So, be my guest and give it a try, but you should hurry up, because the clock is ticking backwards.

Konstantinos Pamfiliss