Ticking to Tock.

The way time has come to be measured has evolved over the ages. Actually the way we ‘look’ at time is not only a measure of technological advancement but also a measure of the distance between us and nature. From looking up at the sun, to having giant constructions whose shadow would indicate the hour, to having sand pass through fine apertures, all showed the silent progress of time. Until things turned mechanical then time began to tick and tock. But technology came full circle with the advent of the digital clock which is as silent as the passage of time.

But the question is what makes these instruments tick? Do they understand their relevance; do they know how much they have impacted our language? Do they want us to show our gratitude; if yes, how? If only they could tock! They would answer questions like whether they appreciate being used in terms like ‘sands of time’, whether they like to be linked to unknown people, tide for example - ‘time and tide wait for no man’. Or whether they like to be used as a threat ‘ - - - the clock is ticking’.

Strangely, time which denotes a passage is used for a beginning or an end – ‘its time to - -’, ‘its high time’. But what is worse is this instrument, its working and measure which has never asked anything of anyone, is extremely unassuming and whispers past us is being used to suggest future calamities and potential threats. A ‘population time bomb’, ‘AIDS time bomb’ or ‘xyz is a ticking time bomb’ all signify a potential future peril which has got nothing to do with time per say except for the fact that things could have been better if ‘we went back in time’ or ‘stopped the progress of time’. However, man in his ingenuity has been able to transform a potential threat into an instrument of death and destruction. A ‘time bomb’ uses an explosive that detonates ‘when the clock strikes - - -’ thus life which is a linear natural progression of time from birth to old age suddenly becomes a pawn in the unwilling hands of time. The phrase ‘when your time comes - -’ which is supposed to alleviate the suddenness of an incident or to give courage before an act gets a whole new meaning.

There is one clock that is quite undecided where it wants to go; the ‘doomsday clock’ has gone back and forth between 11.43 pm and 11.57 pm since its inception in 1947, the only instance where a clock can tick forward or backward depending on mans activities.