SLOW DOWN!

[Rail Tracer]

http://www.ted.com/talks/carl_honore_praises_slowness.html

The speaker of this TED talk about the benefits of slowing down and how the world is so entranced in living in such a speed-laden society that it is impacting people's way of life. Beside how ironic it is about a person phrasing slowness to be speaking at such a speed, I think it is because of the time constraints put on him for talking at such a break-neck pace (I can spend an hour or more talking about what he is talking about in 19 minutes.)

Slowing down at the right time could even better than speeding up - taking the time to talk, to eat, "smell the roses", etc. I've noticed, I enjoy food A LOT more when I am not forced to eat between classes or within a certain time-frame. Not having to buy pre-made food and to cook my own food is enjoyable to. Unfortunately, the notion of time is so ingrained in us, most of us can't help ourselves to go move around like crazy.

Gotta be in class by XX:XX
Gotta make sure to eat at XX:XX
Gotta make sure I finish my homework by XX:XX
Gotta make sure I study about this much by XX:XX
[insert list of gotta..............]

I mean, I don't meticulously organize, but even I am not immune to being so time-entranced.

 

[FDG]

Well, sure, if you have enough money to live off for a while, that's not a big problem.

 

[Rail Tracer]

Well, sure, if you have enough money to live off for a while, that's not a big problem.

It depends, some countries actually notice they get more done if they allow their workers to not be working frantically (Northern Europe countries.)

And, their economy is doing pretty good because of it.

Other than that, yah.

 

[FDG]

And, their economy is doing pretty good because of it.

Not sure, Denmark and Norway have very large oil reserves too.

 

[Rail Tracer]

Not sure, Denmark and Norway have very large oil reserves too.

Hahaha, just watch the video. It isn't really telling us to slow down to a screeching halt and not work and be lazy.... just to slow down at times so that life isn't so hectic.

I mean, the guy talks about fast yoga and fast sex. >.<

 

[FDG]

Hahaha, just watch the video. It isn't really telling us to slow down to a screeching halt and not work and be lazy.... just to slow down at times so that life isn't so hectic.

I mean, the guy talks about fast yoga and fast sex. >.<

Lol, ahahah. Okay, thanks, I'll watch it. Besides, my own opinion is that the best way to "work" is: as fast as you can for a fixed time of say 7-8 hours, with absolutely zero overtime and or sleepless nights etc. so that you have all the afternoon and evening to relax.

 

[Tyrinth]

Slowing down our world seems like a goal that could actually help, but is unlikely to happen. Everything seems so rushed nowadays that people forget the purpose in what they are doing. It's just "gotta do this, gotta get it done."

This is a world where the next thing it out before people truly understand it's predecessor. And that applies to quite a few things in our world, which is why I don't specify anything, of course.

Yeah, I don't think slowing down would hurt, but we're too used to how things are, I don't see any change happening any time soon.

 

[Chaotic Harmony]

I've been trying to slow down more and more lately. It's almost impossible at my work because everyone seems to think that they need everything right that minute. I have been known to put things off to show people that if it's not done immediately it'll be okay.

Driving is where I see the biggest issues with people needing to slow down. So many people feel the need to get from point A to point B in record breaking speeds. I can't believe how many people I see speeding, running red lights, cutting others off, zipping in and out of traffic.... Just to get to the next stop light. Half the time I end up pulling up right next to people that do that. If I wasn't scared of road rage I'd probably wave at them.

Seems like the only time people slow down anymore is when they are planted in front of a TV!

 

[garbage]

Timeframes and deadlines are just standards and expectations--we want to know what to expect out of others. But we can always push back on them so that we can slow things down in order to regain our sanity. We've got a better product out the back end that way; we don't cut corners because we're working closer to our own terms. We're centered, man.

We also tend to treat the self-imposed standards way too seriously. How many of us have beaten ourselves up for not waking up 'on time' because we have ourselves defined what 'on time' is, regardless of how miniscule the consequences actually are? I did just that this morning.

I'm a big fan of "working smarter, not harder"--which means identifying a problem before tackling it.

Driving is where I see the biggest issues with people needing to slow down. So many people feel the need to get from point A to point B in record breaking speeds. I can't believe how many people I see speeding, running red lights, cutting others off, zipping in and out of traffic.... Just to get to the next stop light. Half the time I end up pulling up right next to people that do that. If I wasn't scared of road rage I'd probably wave at them.

Yup, it's as if we don't look at the long term or the big picture. Hurrying the hell up now may not yield results later on--because we're hurrying the hell up in the wrong way--because we're not centered and because we're aimless.

 

[KDude]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Sn9sHHZW4&feature=related]/[/youtube]

 

[VagrantFarce]

Time is a real tyranny, but only if you let it be - don't count the seconds when you don't have to. Learn to appreciate an undriven mind and the stillness that it offers - every small detail amplifies, and you're suddenly able to take in the world.

 

[Chaotic Harmony]

Timeframes and deadlines are just standards and expectations--we want to know what to expect out of others. But we can always push back on them so that we can slow things down in order to regain our sanity. We've got a better product out the back end that way; we don't cut corners because we're working closer to our own terms. We're centered, man.

We also tend to treat the self-imposed standards way too seriously. How many of us have beaten ourselves up for not waking up 'on time' because we have ourselves defined what 'on time' is, regardless of how miniscule the consequences actually are? I did just that this morning.

I'm a big fan of "working smarter, not harder"--which means identifying a problem before tackling it.

Totally agree with the timelines and deadlines... For me they aren't an "oh my God we must have this project completed on this day or the building is going to blow up" situation... It's an "it would be nice to complete this project on this day, but I understand things happen" situation!

I'm all for working smarter, not harder as well. It seems like any time I have tried to work harder instead of smarter, I ended up having to redo it anyway!

Yup, it's as if we don't look at the long term or the big picture. Hurrying the hell up now may not yield results later on--because we're hurrying the hell up in the wrong way--because we're not centered and because we're aimless.

 

[garbage]

To be fair, at a deep level, all of this is hard to reconcile with the notion that we shouldn't squander our time--carpe diem and all of that. We're conditioned to think that meaningful use of our time means constantly staying active, busy, and productive.

 

[VagrantFarce]

To be fair, at a deep level, all of this is hard to reconcile with the notion that we shouldn't squander our time--carpe diem and all of that. We're conditioned to think that meaningful use of our time means constantly staying active, busy, and productive.

Don't stagnate, but don't drive yourself insane - it's a good rule of thumb.

 

[Mole]

To be fair, at a deep level, all of this is hard to reconcile with the notion that we shouldn't squander our time--carpe diem and all of that. We're conditioned to think that meaningful use of our time means constantly staying active, busy, and productive.

Yes, time we enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

And how nice to be told, "You are my favourite waste of time".

 

[Redbone]

Just to get to the next stop light. Half the time I end up pulling up right next to people that do that. If I wasn't scared of road rage I'd probably wave at them.

Seems like the only time people slow down anymore is when they are planted in front of a TV!

I can't resist grinning at them when I pull up beside them.

Agreed. TV hypnotizes.

 

[Mole]

As technology speeds things up, they speed up beyond our ability to perceive them. And as we loose sight of them, we slow right down and start to percieve pattern.

So speed increasing exponentially leads to the slow perception of pattern.