Culture of the Slow: Social Deceleration in an Accelerated World (Consumption and Public Life)

Across the world, there has been a growing dissatisfaction with the tempo of modern life. Described simply as the 'slow phenomenon', this volume explores this new brand of living that entails not simply slowing down but an embracing of alternative activities that promote meaning, thoughtfulness, engagement and authenticity. "Across the world, there has been a polite uprising to the perceived meaninglessness and stress of our accelerated and consumer driven lifestyles. Described simply as the slow phenomenon, this new brand of living entails not simply slowing down, but an embracing of alternative activities that promote meaning, thoughtfulness, engagement and authenticity. Whether it is through different practices of food production and consumption, alternative modes of transportation such as cycling through to our intimate relations with others, this new ethic of living has grown immensely in popularity. In this volume of work, key authors from across the world have been brought together to illustrate these alternative approaches to modern lifestyles by analyzing them empirically and theoretically. Through rigorous debate and insightful commentary, this book presents a compelling case for seeing the slow phenomenon as a significant cultural practice in contemporary society"--Provided by publisher "Across the world, there has been a polite uprising to the perceived meaninglessness and stress of our accelerated and consumer driven lifestyles. Described simply as the slow phenomenon, this new brand of living entails not simply slowing down, but an embracing of alternative activities that promote meaning, thoughtfulness, engagement and authenticity. Whether it is through different practices of food production and consumption, alternative modes of transportation such as cycling through to our intimate relations with others, this new ethic of living has grown immensely in popularity. In this volume of work, key authors from across the world have been brought together to illustrate these alternative approaches to modern lifestyles by analyzing them empirically and theoretically. Through rigorous debate and insightful commentary, this book presents a compelling case for seeing the slow phenomenon as a significant cultural practice in contemporary society."--Publisher's website Front Matter....Pages i-ix Slow Culture: An Introduction....Pages 1-18 The Time of Consumption....Pages 19-33 From Fast Fashion to Connected Consumption: Slowing Down the Spending Treadmill....Pages 34-51 You Eat What You Are: Cultivated Taste and the Pursuit of Authenticity in the Slow Food Movement....Pages 52-70 Consuming Space Slowly: Reflections on Authenticity, Place and the Self....Pages 71-93 Alternative Hedonism: The World by Bicycle....Pages 94-109 Downshifting or Conspicuous Consumption? A Sociological Examination of Treechange as a Manifestation of Slow Culture....Pages 110-135 Sensuality, Sexuality and the Eroticism of Slowness....Pages 136-153 Creativity Takes Time, Critique Needs Space: Re-Working the Political Investment of the Consumer through Pleasure....Pages 154-177 Conclusion: Departing Notes on the Slow Narrative....Pages 178-192 Back Matter....Pages 193-195 Cover 1 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 7 Notes on Contributors 8 Slow Culture: An Introduction 11 1 The Time of Consumption 29 2 From Fast Fashion to Connected Consumption: Slowing Down the Spending Treadmill 44 3 You Eat What You Are: Cultivated Taste and the Pursuit of Authenticity in the Slow Food Movement 62 4 Consuming Space Slowly: Reflections on Authenticity, Place and the Self 81 5 Alternative Hedonism: The World by Bicycle 104 6 Downshifting or Conspicuous Consumption? A Sociological Examination of Treechange as a Manifestation of Slow Culture 120 7 Sensuality, Sexuality and the Eroticism of Slowness 146 8 Creativity Takes Time, Critique Needs Space: Re-Working the Political Investment of the Consumer through Pleasure 164 Conclusion: Departing Notes on the Slow Narrative 188 Index 203