Clocks Tick, But Do We Really Have the Time?

Exploring film, philosophy, and the elusive nature of time itself.

Is time a human construct, or an inexorable force? This question arises when considering **Christian Marclay**’s 24-hour film, *The Clock*, a cinematic exploration of time through the ages, and a visit to the Design Museum in Den Bosch.

‘Easy Rider’ Revelation

The author reflects on a scene from *Easy Rider* (1969), where **Peter Fonda** throws away his watch, shedding the constraints of society. Spotting the time on the watch—seven minutes past eleven—the author connected with the film, later watching *The Clock* at the same time.

The Allure of ‘The Clock’

*The Clock* strings together film clips featuring clocks, synchronizing them with real-time. Seamless transitions, like an opening door answered by a closing one, create an addictive experience for viewers.

Recently screened in Stuttgart’s Glass Art Museum, audiences watched for hours, drawn in by the film’s reflection of daily life. As evening fell outside, so it did within the film, mirroring the rhythms of work, leisure, and rest.

For movie buffs, *The Clock* is a treasure trove of familiar faces, prompting questions like: which film features **Hugh Grant** awakened by three alarm clocks? The work highlights film’s dramatic use of time—will the train arrive? Will **James Bond**’s bomb detonate?

Philosophical Quandaries

The work evokes fundamental questions. Sixteen centuries ago, **Augustine** pondered time’s fleeting nature, concluding it exists in the spirit, within memory and anticipation. “In you, my soul, I measure time,” he wrote in *Confessions*.

Grasping the Intangible

In Den Bosch, the exhibition *All the Time of the World* showcases timepieces, from church bells to atomic clocks. But can we truly grasp time with these tools? Like radioactivity, time is measurable yet elusive.

Ironically, atomic clocks do not measure time, but produce seconds, a human-defined unit that dictates all other clocks. Currently, the most precise atomic clock, NIST-F2, is accurate to within one second every 300 million years (NIST 2014).

Time’s Grip

The development of timekeeping reflects society’s need for coordination. From childhood, we learn to align with clock time, overriding our bodies’ natural cues. We eat at 1:30 PM, not when hungry; we awaken to alarms, not our own rhythm.

The sociologist **Norbert Elias** notes that clocks measure movement against a standardized movement, like Earth’s orbit. Quantum physics echoes this, suggesting we understand the world through relative changes, not absolute time.

Ultimatums and Escapes

Clocks facilitate appointments, deadlines, and ultimatums, like the threat in *Seven Days to Noon*. Yet, many feel trapped by schedules, symbolized by **Peter Fonda**’s discarded watch. **Charlie Chaplin** in *Modern Times* embodies the stress of temporal pressure.

Beyond the Clock

**Joke Hermsen** distinguishes clock time from an inner time, drawing on **Henri Bergson**’s concept of “the pure duration.” This inner time, she argues, frees us from economic constraints, offering a more valuable, real experience.

Was this what **Fonda** felt? Perhaps it was like the escape during an intense experience or a state of flow, not psychedelic indulgence.

Newman’s Time

In *Paris Blues*, **Paul Newman** plays a jazz musician in Paris. When **Joanne Woodward** wakes him at 11:15 AM, he retreats back to sleep. Was this a rejection of clock time? More likely, he was a musician enjoying a well-deserved rest.

Despite the allure of inner time, capturing it on film remains a challenge. Regardless, time marches on.