An Example of Nearly Unobservable Changes in Life - Walking Speed

Some changes are measurable but because of their gradual character it requires years to notice the change.

Once I've read a study that investigated the pace at which Bach's music was played over the decades. It appeared that the younger the more recent the performance the faster the music was played. "Has time-management reached the sacred area of the arts," I thought then.

A recent study "headed by British psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman" revealed that "Pedestrians all over the world are moving faster than a decade ago... Psychologists say walking speeds have increased by an average of ten percent in the past ten years... People in the greatest hurry live in Singapore, according to the study of cities in 32 countries. Following in their footsteps are residents of Copenhagen in Denmark and Madrid in Spain."

According to the same study It was also the first time that more people live in cities than on the country side..." therefore affecting more people than ever."

And: "Surprisingly, some of the world's biggest cities did not even make the top five. New York came in at eight..." and London just below 20, where a previous study revealed that The pace of life in the capital of Wales is almost the slowest in the world... London stepped up to the mark as having
the UK's fastest walkers (news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/6612859.stm)

Not mentioned in the (first) article (source: www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/02/walking.speeds/) is the Fact that this trend is all but healthy. The walking speed is a symptom of stress and contributes to heart-diseases.

Obviously this is not a simple trend that will cease soon, the fast/speed-culture will continue to influence our lives. Interesting also is that globalization makes this bad habit spread as a virus. Eastern cities are the ones that climb on the pace-list.

It is quite probable that the pace-increase is driven by other areas. In sports it is quite natural that whatever previous record is to be broken. But also there will be a limit; the hundred meters Olympic record cannot ever be shortened, or could it?

Culturally, all this conveys that fast = beautiful; not only the olympic records but also Bach's music. It is a pity however that the increased walking pace is not healthy.

The saying goes: the hasty bitch brings forth blind whelps...

Let's hope that there will be a time where the trend will be reversed. That probable requires more than a slow-food counter-initiative.

© 2007 Hans Bool