The Clock Of The Long Now

Time And Responsibility

Civilisation has developed a dangerously short attention span. This trend might originate in the accelerating changes in technology, the short-term perspective of market-driven economics, or the next-election perspective of democracies. Some sort of balancing corrective to the short-sightedness is needed - to encourage the long view and the acceptance of long-term responsibility. 'The Clock of the Long Now' is a serious long-term project designed to encourage people to think beyond the psychological barrier of the Millennium and into the future. The Long Now Foundation plan to build a gigantic mechanical clock, powered by seasonal temperature changes. It will tick once a year and bong once a century.