• @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    -63 months ago

    Honestly, how often do you read analog clocks?

    I mean, I learned it as a child, but it’s been probably months since I actually had the need to read an analog clock, and I’m just not used to it anymore. I have to think about it, 20 years ago it was just my spine doing the thinking and it felt effortless.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      273 months ago

      A lot, since I have an analog wristwatch and a wall clock. There were also analog clocks in several of the exam rooms where I last had exams.

      I guess many people don’t use them regularly, but regardless, the simple fact that they still exist is enough to be worth learning about them. Not everything you learn at school is meant to be used every single day.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      143 months ago

      Every day? I use an analog watch face on my smartwatch, I have an analog clock in my car, I have another couple at home….

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        -113 months ago

        So what? I don’t.

        I don’t have a smart watch and hardly anybody I know actually owns some analog clock?

        Take a look around you. Where are any analog clocks? Church towers, train stations, old people. That’s pretty much it. Your smartwatch is a choice. You could just as well use a digital watch face. There is literally no benefit in that case - except your personal preference.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          223 months ago

          You literally asked “Honestly, how often do you read analog clocks?” and I answered. And then you say “So what?” So why did you even ask if you were gonna turn around and belittle answers?

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            -73 months ago

            It’s called rhetorical question.

            I’d argue that you are a very small minority. Most people under 50 probably barely have any analog clocks around.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              53 months ago

              I disagree, I am under 50 and wear an analog wristwatch every day, but if I want to know the time I just look on my phone.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              5
              edit-2
              3 months ago

              Most people under 50 probably barely have any analog clocks around.

              Every home/apt of every under 40 year old person I have ever been in has had at least one analog clock. And most have had several.

              Also, grandfather clocks are a thing. And they’re gorgeous.

              Extremely anti-social to act like digital clocks are better - similar to acting like social media and Facetime calls are in any way superior to irl face-to-face interaction - as our current loneliness epidemic demonstrates

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      83 months ago

      It’s not just about telling time though. It’s about representing things in a different way. Correlating one thing to another, and making someone think until the representation automatically becomes the output. You are forced to see things in a different way, which is what learnding is all about.

      • ddh
        link
        fedilink
        English
        33 months ago

        Learning how a sundial works would teach them more than leaning how an analog clock works, in that regard.

    • The Dark Lord ☑️
      link
      fedilink
      63 months ago

      I actually agree with you. I can read an analog clock, but what worth is the skill? Most clocks are digital, and it gives me nothing more to read an analog one. People downvoting you is just silly. Some skills are allowed to die out if they add no value in modern life.

      • @MutilationWave
        link
        23 months ago

        Someone else made a comment and I think it’s great so imma plagiarize it-

        If kids are taught to read an analog clock early, which isn’t very hard to learn, they are getting a leg up on fractions, percentages, and geometry.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          23 months ago

          I don’t actually believe this is true.

          It rather, I imagine that they could get an even greater leg up if that time was spent teaching something else

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        13 months ago

        I wonder how many people feel this way about writing when everyone just types/texts everything.

        • The Dark Lord ☑️
          link
          fedilink
          43 months ago

          There are fewer and fewer applications for writing, but it’s still more important than reading an analog clock.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            13 months ago

            How so?

            I genuinely don’t understand the clock-face-reading-is-a-useless-skill opinion so both seem equally important to me.

            • The Dark Lord ☑️
              link
              fedilink
              1
              edit-2
              3 months ago

              Fair enough. Most people don’t encounter analog clocks anymore. And many of us have smart watches or phones where we check the time. Since I have a non-analog watch, I don’t find I ever look at analog clocks anymore. If it’s in a room, I just don’t notice it. Growing up, it was important to know, but now I just never have a use for it. Learning is important, but there are so many more interesting and useful things to learn.

              You could also make an argument about automatic or manual cars. Sure, we could teach our kids how to drive manual, but why? Most cars are automatic. If they want to have a manual car, they can learn. Otherwise it’s just a useless skill.

              • @[email protected]
                link
                fedilink
                23 months ago

                Yea that’s kind of what I was thinking when I said eventually handwriting will go the same way.

                If people never encounter it and do all their writing on keyboards, it’ll eventually be a useless skill as well.

                • The Dark Lord ☑️
                  link
                  fedilink
                  13 months ago

                  Exactly. I find that I sign the back of checks and write brief sentences in birthday cards. Neither of those feel like they’ll be around for a lot longer.