Blocks aren't ticks of a universal clock; they are discrete units of informational space (geometry). The mining process follows a Poisson distribution, meaning the "tick" is a random variable. The next block could arrive in 1 second or 1 hour. This variance proves the system is a byproduct of work in continuous space, not a fundamental temporal unit.

The purpose of applying a scientific method is to prove yourself wrong, and in failure, reinforce your hypothesis. I think you know this and just don't care, which is why I can't continue this discussion absent good faith.

To answer the question of "which is it," you suggested yourself that mining is worthless, as it represents proof of "no real work" being done. #Bitcoin