Meaningful slow motion

The desire to ‘move’ is a fundamental facet of being human, and the kinds of mobility involved in this desire are psychological and spiritual as well as physical. In the so-called ‘developed’ parts of the world, many people report to be living in ‘overdrive’ (in a state of excessive activity and speed). As busy as their professional lives may be, people are in search of the ‘right speed’ with which to move in their ‘free’ time, in a way that values quality over quantity, long-term benefits over short-term gains, and well-being. In this context, slowness is more than anti-speed. There are interesting parallels to be drawn between slow movements (coupled with the revaluation of physical exertion) and environmental movements, because both seek to evoke novel ideas about the proper pace of a good and enjoyable human life. The discourse around the proper pace of life emphasises experience, pleasure and the sensuous human body. Slowness is embodied in the qualities of rhythm, pace, tempo and velocity that are produced in the sensory and affective relationship between the individual and the world. Proper pace is portrayed as being subject to cultural and practical ways of doing, and as a question of aesthetics. It thus involves taking more time to be ‘in the moment’ (rather than elsewhere in thoughts). Based on preliminary research findings, this paper will address these issues against the wider background of other forms of slow mobility (whether voluntary or forced).status: publishe