Thinking Activity:The Culture of Speed and Slow Movement

Hello Readers,

I am Aditi Vala and I'm student of department of English, MKBU. This blog is a part of my classroom thinking activity and it's given by Dr.Dilip Barad Sir.In this blog I am going to discuss The counter culture of Slow Movement and Paul Virilio's Dromology- the study of speed. 

Slow Movement: 

The Slow philosophy is not about doing everything at a snail's pace. It's about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savoring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It’s about quality over quantity in everything from work to food to parenting.

Geir Berthelsen and his creation of The World Institute of Slowness presented a vision in 1999 for an entire "slow planet" and a need to teach the world the way of slowness. The motto of the Slow philosophy is - 'The fastest way to a good life is to slow down'. 

According to...

“…perhaps, the most powerful reason — why we find it hard to slow down is the cultural taboo that we’ve erected against slowing down. ‘Slow’ is a dirty word in our culture. It’s a byword for ‘lazy,’ ‘slacker,’ for being somebody who gives up. You know, ‘he’s a bit slow.’ It’s actually synonymous with being stupid.”

                                             – C. Honore

 “Is it possible in today’s superfast world to live slow? Would I be able to keep my job? Provide a good living for my family? Does being ‘slow’ mean low efficiency, low effectiveness?”

                                      – G. Berthelsen

Slow Movement is concerned with how the industrial revolution changed the relationship between the individual human and the macroeconomic system.

What is Dromology ?

The world has progressed very speed with this technology. We see rapid development not only in one state but in every region of the world everywhere. Technology may be responsible for this. Virilio differentiates this evolving speed. He gives the word Dromology. It is with this meaning in mind that he coined the term 'dromology', which he defined as the "science (or logic) of speed". Dromology is important when considering the structuring of society in relation to warfare and modern media. Growing with speed.

                  There has been a certain speed of development within each sector. It has caused a lot of damage to the environment and culture. Now it needs to be improved. It needs slow moment instead of speed. Developed a good physical facility. And a lot of damage has been done to the environment to get better facilities, especially the slow movement has been started with regard to food items, because we have changed a lot in food items which has resulted in a sattvic food not being pure food.

Example :

Video :- TED-Talk on 'In Praise of Slowness:

For watching Ted video , I have put here video link . Click here -Ted Video

In this video , Journalist Carl Honore believes the Western world's emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity and quality of life. But there's a backlash brewing, as everyday people start putting the brakes on their all-too-modern lives. The transcript of the talk can be read here. One example of this sentiment can be found in Chaplin’s Modern Times, which depicts hectic assembly line workers who move and act just like automatons, and a protagonist who’s swallowed up by a machine.

We have come to prefer food that’s readily available, regardless of the health risks. So instead of sitting down to a meal with family and friends, we often eat alone with phones & laptops , usually while doing something .In the wrong progress we are making, we have to slow down and move towards slow movement .We are going so fast but we are also alert for every thing . Sometimes somethings harmful for us than be careful and more alert about which kind of activity doing around us.

Thank you...