fast vs slow.
‘Fast’ and ‘slow’ are physical attributes that do more than just describe a rate of change, but they are also shorthand for ways of being and philosophies of life (Honoré, C. 2004, p14). In current culture, someone who is ‘fast’ is generally judged to accomplish more in less time. The faster you can produce, the further ahead you are of everyone else. On the other hand, ‘slow’ is often judged as accomplishing less (Wendikae 2014).
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(Words by Honoré, C. 2004, p14)
Carl Honoré mentioned in TED Ed talk 2013 at Oxford, UK:
"... perhaps, the most powerful reason - why we find it hard to slow down is the cultural taboo that we have erected against slowing down. 'Slow' is a dirty word in our culture. It is a byword for 'lazy', 'slacker', for being somebody who gives up. You know, 'he is a bit slow.' It is actually synonymous with being stupid."
How do we get so fast?
Capitalism, rapid gentrification and technology have put the society into a chaotic tension - where people are chasing money, power, success and faster pace of life. They are out of control of their behaviours, feelings, thinking and lifestyle (Brown, S. 2014).
In 1982, American physician Larry Dossey coined the term ‘time-sickness’ to describe the obsessive belief that ‘time is getting away, that there is not enough of it, and that you must pedal faster and faster to keep up.’ These days, the whole world is time-sick. We all belong to the same cult of speed (Honoré, C. 2004, p3).
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Playtime (film) by Jacques Tati critiques the effects modernism in Paris, resulting an increase in high-rise buildings, highways and traffic, which become unfamiliar to citizens. It portrays how homogenous spaces create repetitive behavioural patterns, synchronised movements and rhythms that speed up modern life (Lenoir, P., 2015). The glossiness in materials, transparency of space, cool colour scheme and the disconnection among people truly reflect fast living.
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A secret analysis revealed that pedestrians in cities are walking 10% faster than a decade ago, from 13.5 seconds to 12.5 seconds covering 60 feet. Due to the busy lifestyle, such as long working hours, growing reliance on mobile phones, emails and fast food, we have forgotten to slow down (Macrae, F. 2007).
"When you speed people up and they become stressed, they don't take care of themselves. They don't eat properly, they don't go to the gym, they start smoking."
by Professor Richard Wiseman
(Macrae, F. 2007)
Primary Research
A questionnaire was distributed to general public. 102 respondents, in which 53 of them are students and the other 49 are working adults, participated in my questionnaire.
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Majority of the respondents live a stressful life, especially those who live in big cities like London and Kuala Lumpur.
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6 out of the 9 respondents, who claimed they are rarely stressed, do not live in big cities.
People who live in big cities live a more stressful life than those who live outskirts. From my survey forms, the main causes of stress are work, deadlines, and the lacking of time. Most people move to the city for better opportunities. When competition gets intense, people wants to achieve more, leading them to speed up, to multitask and to cram many things into life at once.
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Only 39% of the respondents actually live in the moment.
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The rest of the respondents either dwell in the past or worry too much about the future.
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One respondent out of the 102 claimed that she does not live in the moment at all.
The increasing pace in living has drifted people away from living fully in the moment. Our schedules are always packed and sometimes double-booked. We worry about assignment deadlines due tomorrow, meetings with client happening next week and report to submit for the next month. The meals in front of our desks now and the quality time with our family are often forgotten.
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How often do you feel stressed?
How often do you live in the moment, rather than thinking about the past and futrue?
All the time
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Not at all
11%
49%
31%
9%
0%
All the time
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Not at all
6%
33%
39%
21%
1%
What makes you stressed, both in your work and home life?
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Why slow down?
Fast may be exciting, efficient and satisfying, but there is always a cost to pay when the speed level hits the boiling point.
In the book In Praise of Slowness (p5-11), Carl Honoré stated:
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In a Reed survey of 5000 UK workers, 60% said they would not fully utilised their vacation entitlement in 2003.
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One in five Americans turns up to work even when he is ill.
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In 2001, the Japanese government reported record 143 victims of karoshi – that means death by overwork.
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In an ICM poll, half of the British adults said their hectic schedules had caused them to lose touch with friends.
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In a Newsweek poll of American adolescents in 2000, 73% said parents spend too little time with their teenagers.
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Unhealthy lifestyle, such as alcohol addiction, use of drugs, sleeping late and eating too much fast food.
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Stress-related disorders – obesity, depression, anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal trouble, and etc.
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Difficult to focus, learn and be creative.
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Unproductivity in work due to multitasking.
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Diminishing quality time spent with family and friends.
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Unable to enjoy life in the moment.
Inevitably, a life of hurry can become superficial. When we rush, we skim the surface, and fail to make real connection with the world. (Honoré, C. 2004, p9).
Effects of
Fast Living
