I never wore a watch. I always depend on public clocks, and stores have clocks, but that is strange.
📖 Ben Katchor
This quote highlights an interesting perspective on our perception and reliance on timekeeping devices. In an age dominated by personal gadgets like watches and smartphones, relying solely on public clocks or clocks within stores seems almost nostalgic or old-fashioned. The speaker's choice to depend on communal clocks suggests a sense of trust in shared, accessible sources of time, emphasizing a connection to public spaces and communal life. It also raises questions about how personal autonomy and societal dependence intersect—today, many people pride themselves on personal convenience and constant access to individualized time management. However, the speaker’s approach may reflect a desire to disconnect from constant personal monitoring, fostering a more organic and perhaps less stressful relationship with time. There's an almost poetic rhythm to the idea that clocks are objects within shared environments, anchoring us to collective routines rather than individual schedules. This approach also invites reflection on how technology has changed our perception of time; historically, public clocks were vital for coordinating daily life, especially before personal devices became ubiquitous. Dependence on public clocks may cultivate mindfulness about the passing of time and an awareness of our environment that personalized devices might obscure. It symbolizes a certain simplicity and trust in communal infrastructure, urging us to consider whether relying less on individual devices might foster a different, perhaps more grounded way of experiencing time and our daily lives.
