Slow movement (culture)
The Slow movement is a cultural shift toward slowing down life's pace.
History
The Slow Movement first began when a protest against the opening of a McDonald's restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, Rome sparked the creation of the Slow Food organization, as well as developing into a subculture in various other areas, Slow Travel, Slow Shopping, and Slow Design, just to name a few.
Geir Berthelsen and his creation of The World Institute of Slowness[1] coined the term 'Slow Travel'[2] in 1999 citing a vision for an entire 'Slow Planet' and a need to teach the world the way of Slow.
Professor Guttorm Fløistad[3] published 'Utfordringer studier I langsomhetens filosofi", (loosely translated, "Challenges studies in the philosophy of slowness") states on Page 2 of the chapter entitled “til ettertanke” (afterthoughts”) Volume I"- “I tillegg til alt dette finner vi på internet en webside fra Kristiansand med tittelen The World Institute of Slowness. Formålet er å senke farten i forbrukerkulturen. E. address slowshopping.com (In addition we find the webpage from kristiansand,Norway with the title The World Institute of Slowness [4]. The purpose is to slow down the speed of the consumer culture. Internet address: slowshopping.com)
'Utfordringer studier I langsomhetens filosofi" ISBN 82-995780-1-9
Professor Guttorm Fløistad summarizes the entire philosophy, stating: "The only thing for certain is that everything changes. The rate of change increases. If you want to hang on you better speed up. That is the message of today. It could however be useful to remind everyone that our basic needs never changes. The need to be seen and appreciated! It is the need to belong. The need for nearness and care, and for a little love! This is given only through slowness in human relations. In order to master changes, we have to recover slowness, reflection and togetherness. There we will find real renewal." ~Guttorm Fløistad
The Slow Movement is not organized and controlled by a singular organization, however, several large efforts have huge followings, such as Slow Down Now and The World Institute of Slowness. Many other smaller groupings are cropping up around the globe.
A principal characteristic of the Slow Movement is that it is propounded, and its momentum maintained, by individuals that constitute the expanding global community of Slow. Although it has existed in some form since the Industrial Revolution its popularity has grown considerably since the rise of Slow Food and Cittaslow in Europe, with Slow initiatives spreading as far as Australia and Japan.
Slow life
Opposed to the culture of fast food the sub-movement known as Slow Food seeks to encourage the enjoyment of regional produce, traditional foods, which are often grown organically and to enjoy these foods in the company of others. It aims to defend food and agricultural biodiversity.
The movement claims 83,000 members in 50 countries, which are organized into 800 Convivia or local chapters. Sometimes operating under a logo of a snail, the collective philosophy is to preserve and support traditional ways of life. Today, 42 states in the U.S. have their own convivium.
In 2004, representatives from food communities in more than 150 countries met in Turin under the umbrella of the Terra Madre (Mother Earth) network.
Cittaslow
The goals of the Cittaslow movement is to resist the homogenization and globalization of towns and cities and seeks to improve the quality and enjoyment of living by encouraging happiness and self-determination.
Slowretail
Slowretail is a project and bases on the need to regenerate value and positive experiences in today’s retail culture.
References
External links
- Slow Food is a separate but related movement
- Cittaslow UK - How Slow is applied to towns in the United Kingdom
- In Praise Of Slow - site of the book by Carl Honoré
- SlowDownNow.org - The almost-serious antidote to workaholism. Humorous Slow stories and a Slow Lifestyle Manifesto by Christopher Richards. Stories include How to Get Out of Bed - a philosophical approach and The Importance of the British Tea Break.
- We Are What We Do - authors of Change The World For A Fiver
- Slowness for Sustainability
- Unconventional Ideas
- Work Less Party of Canada
- All Tomorrows Tea Parties - a slow-related project by students of Central Saint Martins in London. UK.