It was well said by Jean Tarrou in The Plague, I think that attendance at lectures in an unknown language will help to hone one's awareness of the exceedingly slow passage of time. I once had the experience of being 'waterboarded' and can now dimly appreciate how much every second counts in the experience of the torture victim, forced to go on enduring what is unendurable.

Summary

This quote by Jean Tarrou highlights the idea that attending lectures delivered in an unfamiliar language can greatly amplify one's perception of the passage of time. By drawing a comparison to the experience of being "waterboarded," Tarrou suggests that enduring such torture emphasizes the significance and unbearable nature of each passing second. This observation underscores the notion that exposure to situations that stretch our limits allow us to gain deeper insight into the value of time and the suffering endured by others.

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