The coronavirus is not only a medical threat but also collides with the temporal logic inherent to capitalism. While capitalism demands constant growth, acceleration and efficiency, the outbreak urges societies to reduce, slow down and be patient. This article provides a sociological comment on the pandemic that focuses on the role of time and temporality. It explores the multiple ways in which the required responses to Covid-19 are at odds with the temporal order of capitalism. In the midst of crisis, the specific features, contradictions and weaknesses of the time regime governing modern societies become even more apparent – and make sociological scrutiny more necessary than ever. While this comment relates to the insights provided by the sociology of time, it uses a children’s book to illustrate its argument. Drawing on Michael Ende’s story of the orphan girl Momo and the grey gentlemen who steal people’s time, I recapture the main features of capitalism as a time regime: measurement and commodification of time, temporal expansion, acceleration, appropriation of the future, and unequal temporal autonomy. The current pandemic challenges both individual and collective temporalities that are governed by these temporal imperatives of capitalism. I conclude with reflections on the feasibility of a more sustainable temporal order that Michael Ende’s novel hints at and suggest how sociological research could support such an endeavour in the current crisis.

冠状病毒不仅是一种医学威胁，而且与资本主义固有的时间逻辑相冲突。虽然资本主义需要持续增长、加速和效率，但疫情却敦促社会减少、放慢并保持耐心。这篇文章提供了关于大流行的社会学评论，重点是时间和时间的作用。它探讨了对 Covid-19 的必要反应与资本主义的时间顺序不一致的多种方式。在危机中，支配现代社会的时间制度的具体特征、矛盾和弱点变得更加明显——这使得社会学审查比以往任何时候都更加必要。虽然此评论与时间社会学提供的见解有关，但它使用一本儿童读物来说明其论点。借鉴迈克尔·恩德 (Michael Ende) 的孤女莫莫 (Momo) 和窃取人们时间的灰色绅士的故事，我重新捕捉了资本主义作为时间制度的主要特征：时间的测量和商品化、时间扩张、加速、未来的挪用和时间不平等自治。当前的流行病挑战了由资本主义的这些时间要求所支配的个人和集体的时间性。最后，我对迈克尔·恩德（Michael Ende）的小说暗示并建议社会学研究如何在当前危机中支持这种努力的更可持续的时间秩序的可行性进行反思。未来的占有和不平等的时间自主权。当前的流行病挑战了由资本主义的这些时间要求所支配的个人和集体的时间性。最后，我对迈克尔·恩德（Michael Ende）的小说暗示并建议社会学研究如何在当前危机中支持这种努力的更可持续的时间秩序的可行性进行反思。未来的占有和不平等的时间自主权。当前的流行病挑战了由资本主义的这些时间要求所支配的个人和集体的时间性。最后，我对迈克尔·恩德（Michael Ende）的小说暗示并建议社会学研究如何在当前危机中支持这种努力的更可持续的时间秩序的可行性进行反思。