What if a city could breathe? If we viewed cities as living organisms rather than built environments, which would breathe fast or slow? Which would breathe freely, and which in fits and starts? Might a city collapse to its knees—exhausted, gasping, out of breath, in need of rest? And what of those who live within […]
When a City Breathes, How Do We Breathe? (Part 1) Read More »
Modern life has a peculiar habit of accelerating us without our noticing. We wake to alarms, measure our days in tasks, and move through cities designed for urgency rather than reflection. Somewhere along the way, many of us begin to live slightly outside ourselves — hurried, distracted, and oddly fragmented. In an attempt to gently
The Slow Human PlayList Read More »
* An “Amber Gambler” refers to a driver who recklessly accelerates to beat a yellow/amber traffic light instead of slowing down, stopping safely, and not taking a risky chance that may cause an accident. The Amber the Traffic Light: I have a problem, Car Driver. I think you misinterpret what I stand for. It seems you ignore me when all
A Conversation between an Amber Traffic Light and an Amber Gambler * Read More »
Hare desperately needed a double espresso, so he and Tortoise—who wanted to celebrate his win with a large green tea—headed across the meadow toward town, the finish line already disappearing in the distance behind them. Hare: I don’t understand. You? Beating me? It makes no sense. I was born to run—born to win. Tortoise: And
Hare and Tortoise – After the Race Read More »
Imagine, for a moment, a time when patience and waiting were not extraordinary virtues but the default settings of daily life—expected behaviors, even survival skills. Waiting months on end in a perpetual state of uncertainty was routine, and not knowing was simply part of the human condition. For most of our history—right up until Samuel Morse jolted
Emotional Life under Slow Communication Read More »
We live in an age where speed is inescapable, and where people seem almost trained to live fast, at least on the surface. Yet, the demands of such a lifestyle come with an accumulation of side effects—some small and curious, others rather serious—for both the individual and society at large. Among these: a poverty of
Imagine the scene. It’s 1952, somewhere in England, and a young girl—no more than six—sits in eager anticipation, eyes fixed on what appears to be a blank television screen. A moment later, her attention is caught by a gentle voice and the playful chime of theme music. Slowly, without a single scene change, the camera
Turning Back the Clock to Slow Entertainment Read More »
In the summer of 2006, I, along with about fifty other eager undergraduates, filed into a bright auditorium at Concordia University’s downtown campus in Montreal to begin Psychology 280 – Adolescence, a required course for would-be educators. Looking back, I now see how this course managed to be both a spectacular failure and, in its
Vertically Integrated Education is Efficient, But What About Enchantment in Learning? Read More »
In the winter of 1967, British speed visionary Donald Campbell took to Coniston Water in England’s Lake District with one goal in mind: to go faster than fast. Having already coaxed his jet-powered speedboat Bluebird to a staggering 310 miles per hour (500 km/h), he decided that one record-breaking run was simply not enough. He
Speed Is Great — Until It Isn’t Read More »
At the heart of this entry is a hopeful wish — one I hold for children today and in the future. Quite simply, I wish that speed does not continue to devour slowness; that slow, timeless time in childhood is allowed the place it deserves. Nowhere is the attack on childhood and a child’s eigenzeit
Slowness in Childhood Read More »
