What has changed in the last 20 years when we talk about slowness?
One of the profound changes is the boom in social networks which did not exist in 2004. The iPhone appeared around 2007 and it completely changed our relationship with time. There was also the financial crisis of 2007-2008, which created a great lack of economic equality, and the pandemic which was a great workshop on slowness. It was a nightmare in many ways, but people realized many things. We did what we rarely do in a society based on speed: a reflection on life. People took a step back, they said to themselves that before the pandemic, they lived on autopilot mode and wanted to make profound changes to their lifestyle. Basically, it’s the same battle. The haste bug still exists in all areas, but when I look from 2004 to 2024, I am optimistic, because the tectonic plates have shifted. There are many slow movements around the world today.
Have priorities changed?
The priorities of the new generation are different from mine and I am 56 years old. Young people want to be successful in their lives, but they want to live more slowly. They are willing to work, but want more free time, and if companies deny them that, they have other options. Young people are challenging the system and redefining success in life, namely having a balanced life. We can criticize them, some speak of laziness, but it is also a good lesson and a good reason to be optimistic. When young people say no to our current system and want to change the rules of the game, it’s positive.
Does slowness now have good press?
20 years ago, slowness was frowned upon, it was a derogatory word, synonymous with laziness. But this is no longer the case, we recognize its benefits. Slowness means quality, the desire to do things well and enjoy them more. For example, the American author Carl Newport published a book this year entitled Slow Productivity. Which would have been unthinkable five years ago. Today, we realize that in a world addicted to speed, slowness is a superpower. At work, slowness allows us to be more creative, to make fewer mistakes, to be more productive and more efficient, to have better communication. One of the characteristics of artificial intelligence is speed. Technology has become super fast, and as human beings, we have lost this battle of speed with machines. We have to bet on slowness, it’s our future.
Do screens contribute to our hectic pace of life?
Young people are realizing that cell phones are good, they are an essential tool, but that they are very detrimental to human connection. This is why we are seeing new rituals appear to put limits on this screen madness. In London cafes, we see the phenomenon of stacking (stacking). The young people leave their cell phones in the center of the table and can no longer use them during the meeting, and whoever takes them must pay everyone’s bill! It’s a way of saying that we’re living this moment together, so why waste it with our cell phones? It’s a ritual created by young people who grew up with screens and who have reached the limit of speed and technology.
Isn’t it the prerogative of the rich to want to slow down? Can we all afford it?
Everything is easier in life when you’re rich, let’s say it, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to slow down when you’re not rich. It’s harder, there’s a lot of economic uncertainty and many are working hard to get there, but this problem goes way beyond slow and fast. It is a societal problem that must change and it is a fight that must be won so that everyone has access to a human life, with dignity. On the other hand, it is often said that it is impossible to slow down for those with lower salaries. But when we look at the time spent on social networks, we realize that it’s not just the rich who are glued to the screens! As soon as we have 20 minutes free, what do we do? We dive into our screens! We could take a walk, go to a park or have a chat with friends, it costs nothing, but we make bad choices. Screens are an addiction. We are all addicts. It’s hard to change, but it’s not impossible.
Can we live slowly everywhere in the world?
Yes. Everyone asks me how I manage to live slowly in a city like London. Slowness is a state of mind, a philosophy of life, whatever city you live in. Although it’s easier to slow down when living in the country, you can live slowly anywhere.
Praise of slowness
Éditions Marabout, the little collectors
379 pages