The bell is not important OR You can't argue with the sun

After so much buildup about the bell and ringing it everyday, it seems a little odd to say that the bell is not important. But it’s true in the sense that the bell is a convenient and effective way to experience something else. I think that “something else” has to do with shared experience of some universal truth.

First of all, you can’t argue with the movement of the earth.
Secondly, the sunrise and sunset may be a matter of perspective but not a matter of opinion.
Finally, in the same way that we can rely on our breathing, we can rely on the rising and setting of the sun.

Like our breathing, the rotation of the earth is ongoing. Obviously both happen without our will or intervention. Yet unlike our breathing, the rising and setting sun are large, observable spectacles that can be experienced by so many people at the same instant in time. Each day, these moments have the potential to unite human awareness if we focus on them.

The bell is a good sound-maker for this application because it’s easy to do, and it’s potentially loud enough to attract attention. A deliberate sound like a ringing bell or a wailing siren helps to focus and draw attention to the moment we hear the sound. Whether we are making sound or listening, everyone who hears the sound is united in the moment of hearing. The thought of and reality of so many ears vibrating together is very exciting.