Jeff Bezos, the wealthiest man on the planet and founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, is now building a clock with his millionaire scientist friend Danny Hills known as “Clock Of The Long Now.”
The project, which started in 2018, has cost $42 million and is being built on Bezos’s property in a West Texas mountain.
How will the clockwork?
The mechanical clock, which is 500-foot- tall, is designed to tick once a year and chime once per millennium. According to Bezos, the watch will be powered by day/night thermal cycles and synchronized at solar noon.
It will play melodies only once, at random intervals, playing unique tunes each time over 10,000 years.
The giant clock is also set to house five room-sized anniversary chambers for the 1-year, 10-year, 100 years, 1000-year, and 10,000-year anniversary of the clock’s completion.
When will the project be completed? There is no timeline started on Jeff’s website, but it does offer a mailing list for when it’s finished. Once completed, it will be open to the public, but due to its remote location visiting the clock will take commitment.
The website states, “The nearest airport is several hours away by car, and the foot trail to the Clock is rugged, rising almost 2,000 feet above the valley floor”.
The idea behind the clock is that it will run for 10,000 years. And remind future generations of the importance of thinking about the long-term consequences of our actions.
If a clock can keep going for ten millennia, shouldn’t we make sure our civilization does as well?
Is Jeff Bezos Fit to Lead a Timeless Legacy Amidst Environmental and Human Rights Concerns?
The billionaire founder of Amazon and Blue Origin Jeff Bezos, is a significant financial backer of the 10,000-Year Clock project. But given his controversial environmental and social issues record, is he the right person to lead such a long-term initiative?
Environmental Concerns:
Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, has been criticized for contributing to global warming through its rocket launches. How does this impact Bezos’ ability to lead a project focused on sustainability and long-term thinking?
Human Rights Concerns:
One of the world’s largest online retailers, Amazon, has been criticized for various labor and human rights issues. Including poor working conditions and anti-union policies.
In January 2023, to slash its costs, Amazon cut over 18,000 jobs. Mainly in the Human resources division and consumer retails.
The Opportunity Cost of the 10,000-Year Clock:
The $42 million invested in the 10,000-Year Clock project could have been used to address pressing humanitarian issues, such as hunger or poverty.
Does the investment in a long-term clock reflect a misplaced priority, given the urgent needs facing many people worldwide? The funds could have been better used to serve humanity.
Many claims that this ingenuine attempt at rebranding himself as the society’s leader is ineffective. Coupled with his so-called philanthropy for the climate, Bezos is trying to show himself as the ‘good guy,‘ helping to solve a problem he has created.
