If you are aged 50 or older like me, you grew up in a world of analog time with sayings that are archaic to our children: "it's half-past, a quarter of and around 8". For 30 years now digital time has been pervasive, starting with the blinking 12:00 on VCRs, cable boxes, microwave ovens, car clocks, watches, computers and of course cell phones which are the main timekeeping device for our children.
As a geek, I've always preferred digital time; instant, precise time. It has been unfortunate that watchmakers have not perfected handsome digital watches; the best looking, expensive watches, like Movados, are analog and though they are good looking, they require study to determine the time and if it is now that I must leave for the dentist; and they often lack day and date information and some even lack second hands. At least digital watches are now large and masculine versus the early ones which were small and nerdy.
We have not had a single analog clock in our home for at least 25 years. I find it curious that the only place my children observe analog clocks are in the classroom. The place that is supposed to prepare them for the 21st century is the one place where there is an archaic form of timekeeping!
I count three analog clocks in our house. Still like them better if only for the attractiveness of the clock face.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago my mother-in-law came to stay with us for a few weeks. She promptly went out bought an analog clock for our kitchen, complaining that she never knew what time it was when she was cooking. The digital time was clearly on display in the kitchen on the microwave, stove, radio, cable box and t.v.
ReplyDeleteDigital or Analog, wristwatches will surely be a thing of the past. Most everyone under thirty doesn't wear one, content to learn the time from that device they carry in their pocket that use to be their phone that is now a communication and entertainment center.