Like my mother before me with organics, I started embracing the slow life long before I knew a movement existed. In 1989, she bought “natural” products, and had an almighty suspicion about ingredients she couldn’t pronounce, while 20 years later I scoured labels to see how and where goods were produced and had an almighty suspicion that I wasn’t living life anymore, but was merely rushing through it.
And just like organics has moved from food to clothing and beauty products, the slow life encompasses everything from travel to shopping and even sex. The slow movement offers choice. Technology is good (I am communicating this through a blog, after all). Progress is good. But so is not existing on a treadmill perpetually set to fast.
So let’s not forget where it all began. The Slow Food movement started with Italian journalist Carlo Petrini in 1989, who feared fast food was eroding Italy’s culinary culture after a McDonald’s opened on the Spanish Steps in Rome.
Fast forward to 2009 and Slow Food marked its 20th birthday by celebrating Terra Madre Day on 10 December. This is the day that 100,000 members in 150 countries honoured the food producers who are defending their countries’ culinary culture.
So take this opportunity to start defending your own culture. Take your lunch break. Think about what you eat. Read this article on the Huffington Post and then buy In Praise Of Slowness by Carl Honoré.
Living slow takes some adjustment. Just like Carlo Petrini, I like to take small steps. Even if they don’t begin from the Spanish ones.
