The slow word movement and you
December 31st, 2009 by Brooke Warner
Yesterday Forbes’ magazine writer Trevor Butterworth published what he deemed “a media manifesto,” in which he calls for the shift in the way traditional media disseminates information. The problem, he writes, is that “a relentless, endless free diet of fast media is bad for your brain.” The solution? A slow word movement. In Butterworth’s estimation, the slow word movement would entail media being “sustainable, local, and pleasurable.
I love the vision behind this idea, and it applies to any of us who are blogging and disseminating information to an audience (except maybe the local part, since even among our teachers we’re pretty far-flung). I am committing on behalf of Three Intentions and its teachers, here and now, before this site even launches, to create an environment in which:
1. content is thoughtfully composed.
2. subscribers or readers are not overburdened with too many offers or promotions. We invite you to come and learn and take what you will from your time here.
3. weary Internet surfers can drop in to take a deep breath and gather some inspiration for the rest of the day or week.
As a person who spends a lot of time online, I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed to the point of just shutting it all off. We all need a space to take a breath, and I certainly encourage that that happen offline. Meditation, a walk in nature, any form of exercise, spending time with your partner, your kids, your pet. This, too, has to be part of the commitment of the slow word movement—to honor people’s natural propensity to unplug. Before we had technology, we just had each other, and more time to be with our thoughts.
On that note, I invite you to close this, sit up straight, place your hands on your lap, take a deep breath, and, if you’re so inclined, to turn off your computer for a while.
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