The Digg Crew wants to hear your thoughts!
Please take our short survey about Digg and potential feature ideas.
The Birth Clock: Electronic Ambiguity
alex-vf.com — "The Birth Clock is a fragile glass object containing a digital clock that is not working; it is designed to help you to come to a decision when you're stuck at a specific point in life. Smash the glass, and the clock will start to work, leaving you with the broken object as a reminder of your dramatic decision." -Alexandra Von Feldmann
spinchange- 379 diggs
- digg it
- mastazed, on 05/12/2008, -12/+8may i ask why??
- dmurray14, on 05/12/2008, -4/+6No
- theteuton, on 05/12/2008, -6/+2Menopausing Marsupials, they are by far the most dangerous entity known to man. CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) has measured a single punch by this creature to transfer energy at the magnitude of Big Bang. The only documented survived encounter with a peeved k-roo was by Morgan Freeman.
- MtheoryX, on 05/13/2008, -0/+2In some other article, there's a buncha people wondering why theteuton is bitching about a non-functioning clock in the middle of an intellectual discussion about kangaroos.
- bunkybrewman, on 05/12/2008, -4/+3Of course you can. But the sheep disagree with you. Since they aren't capable of critical thought themselves, consider your (and my) comments buried.
/so predictable it's amusing
- MacEnvy, on 05/12/2008, -5/+12Art is weird sometimes. But I kind of like the clock idea.
- the7ak3, on 05/12/2008, -13/+8I'm not exactly sure what kind of mental case would need one of these.
- dullnation, on 05/12/2008, -3/+24"leaving you with the broken object as a reminder of your dramatic decision"
I'd personally clean up the big shards of broken glass everywhere... if something so dramatic is going on in my life, the last thing I want is a foot full of glass. - foxhaze, on 05/12/2008, -13/+12That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
- treas, on 05/12/2008, -1/+9 everyone reacts to a certain stimulus in some manner. To some, a birth clock may be a cathartic release of all the tension that built up leading to the decision, the shards of glass representing the "breakthrough" you've made, and the clock representing the time since that idea took place.
I guess you've never been "stuck between a rock and a hard spot" but sometimes people are forced to make life altering decisions, or change their daily routines. Take for example someone who just made the goal to lose 50 pounds. They had been avoiding the dreadful misery of exercising and a healthy diet, but the "birth clock" acts as a reminder of the commitment they made to themselves.
hope that made sense.- CA55IDY, on 05/12/2008, -1/+9When i need a cathartic release of all the tension i just reach for the tissues.
- treas, on 05/12/2008, -1/+9 everyone reacts to a certain stimulus in some manner. To some, a birth clock may be a cathartic release of all the tension that built up leading to the decision, the shards of glass representing the "breakthrough" you've made, and the clock representing the time since that idea took place.
- cosinezero, on 05/12/2008, -1/+24So you break it open, and now you have a lot of broken glass and a clock that's not set to the right time.
I have a much more gratifying way of reaching that result - heavy drinking. - sodoh, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4Yea a clock counting up when you made the wrong decision in your life. Sounds like fun.
- slimjim5811, on 05/12/2008, -1/+8That's heavy, Doc. Not as good as your Flux Capacitor, though.
~Marty McFly- Gridl0ck, on 05/12/2008, -0/+5Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitation field in the future??!?
- johneyoung, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2They've found me. I don't know how, but they found me. Run for it, Marty!
Who?!
THE LIBYANS!!!!
- johneyoung, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2They've found me. I don't know how, but they found me. Run for it, Marty!
- Gridl0ck, on 05/12/2008, -0/+5Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitation field in the future??!?
- koft, on 05/12/2008, -5/+3What the *****?
- alienunknown, on 05/12/2008, -1/+5Too bad if the clock malfunctions and doesn't work when its broken, oh wait, wtf? Anyway, yea you would be left with broken glass and a non-working clock. Refund?
- down4twenty, on 05/12/2008, -0/+6breaking the glass probably voids the warranty... Thats how they get ya
- secrity, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1 I suppose it would also depend upon how long the interval was from buying the clock until you get around to making the decision to break the glass.
- blacklabelrum, on 05/12/2008, -3/+1iClock
- diggerpleez, on 05/12/2008, -2/+12Looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue.
- matschig, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3lol, this made my day
- tumoas, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4Cool idea, but I'd be scared if it ran out of batteries or wouldn't get any electricity.. like after 40 years.. then it'd seem so very vain that you even broke it and kept it in your living room all that time..
- RobinTibbs, on 05/12/2008, -4/+3lol, wut?
- bunkybrewman, on 05/12/2008, -4/+2It would have been more clever for the artist to present a challenge to set the correct time *without* breaking the glass.
But... that would have involved the artist thinking for herself, instead of presenting the problem to the audience.- secrity, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2Magnetic switch.
- SteelChicken, on 05/12/2008, -5/+10Its ***** like this that make normal people say "most artists are stupid"
- CA55IDY, on 05/12/2008, -1/+4This makes the guy who paints with his tongue look like a genius!
- TubeDigger, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2Good idea, it enforces your emotional/ideological understanding/ultimatum with frikn glass all over the damn place! i good idea could be created from this art piece
- radiantstorm, on 05/12/2008, -3/+3Beautiful and poetic.
- maelnum, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1Is there any way around breaking the glass? maybe with a glasscutter...
- ppwk, on 05/12/2008, -1/+9This is a genius idea, it's for when you need to make a life altering decision but aren't sure if you have the motivation necessary to follow through with it. Basically it's a broken artistic piece (after you pick up the broken pieces off the floor, and arrange it nicely on a shelf) to remind yourself that you're on a new path and possibly squandering time. It counts up from 0 to show since the decision was made (and the glass broken) to try visualizing how far along you're new path you've actually gotten.
Very self reinforcing... - cbartlett, on 05/12/2008, -0/+8Reminds me of a Simpson's episode:
"In case of broken glass, break glass," says a sign hanging above a glass-enclosed dustpan and brush. - LZeppelinJ0, on 05/12/2008, -0/+6I can see people with hundreds of these things sitting around their house...
"Should I get pepperoni or just cheese?!?!?!" SMAASSH! - stretch611, on 05/12/2008, -0/+6Professor Farnsworth's "Death Clock" sounds like more fun.
- raublekick, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2If I wanted a bulky hunk of non-functioning electronics on display I could just raid my attic. I'm not really one to have objects for display purposes only. Big, bulky, arguable unsightly, and non-functional?
SMASH.
Oh hey, new clock for my living room! - stupidStan, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2OH MY GOD, THIS IS THE HARDEST DECISION OF MY LIFE... HOW WILL I DECIDE?!
I know! Break the glass around that overpriced clock I bought so it actually works!
Wait, that accomplished nothing... what a moronic invention.. why the hell did I buy this?! - Laminarcissus, on 05/12/2008, -0/+5I can see this being perfect if your big decision is whether or not to vacuum.
- WaveyRavey, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2And whether or not you want shards of glass inside your vacuum cleaner.
- blacklabelrum, on 05/12/2008, -1/+2i want one
- Marfanity, on 05/12/2008, -0/+8I have a similar clock, except mine works normally UNTIL you smash it.
- Pinkertinkle, on 05/12/2008, -3/+1This is the stupidest crap I've ever seen. I wish i could break the glass with the inventor's face.
- amnezia22, on 05/12/2008, -0/+3I would be to tempted to test to see if it actually worked
- bgrah449, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1Did anyone see Pan's Labyrinth? Seems like the artist watched that and then barely changed the idea.
- Princeamor, on 05/12/2008, -2/+1HUH?
- LeRenard, on 05/12/2008, -0/+4I find it most telling about myself that my first thought was wondering if it worked off vacuum and if I could somehow break the glass but keep the clock stopped..
- Altesse, on 05/12/2008, -0/+2One word : B-r-i-l-l-i-a-n-t.
- rajid, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea for someone who is trying to stop smoking, taking drugs, etc. It would tell them immediately how long it's been since they made that decision for their life. I could see how it may help remind them of their commitment. It would need, however, to run on a solar rechargable battery, I would think.
- chaos7, on 05/12/2008, -1/+1really really really lame
- nfkiller, on 05/12/2008, -0/+1might I inquire as to the asking price of this priceless piece of "art?"
- whalt, on 05/13/2008, -0/+2I had a similar idea once. It was a "Jump to Conclusions" mat. You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor and it would have different CONCLUSIONS written on it that you could JUMP TO.
The Digg Toolbar for Firefox lets you Digg, submit content, and keep track of Digg even when you're not on the Digg site. Download the official 
© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is