Slow movement (culture)

{{short description|Social movement}} {{use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox cultural movement | name = Slow movement | image = | alt = | caption = | yearsactive = 1986–present | country = Global | majorfigures = [[Carlo Petrini]], [[Geir Berthelsen]], [[Carl Honoré]] | influences = [[Slow Food]] | influenced = [[Cittaslow]], slow education, slow fashion, slow travel }} The '''slow movement''' is a cultural initiative that advocates for a reduction in the pace of modern life, encouraging individuals to embrace a more thoughtful and deliberate approach to their daily activities.

It was an offshoot of the [[slow food]] movement, which began in 1986 as a protest led by [[Carlo Petrini]] against the opening of a [[McDonald's]] restaurant in [[Rome]]'s [[Piazza di Spagna]].

The key ideas of the slow movement include prioritizing quality over quantity, savoring the present moment, and fostering connections with people and the environment. It encourages a more intentional approach to daily activities, promoting sustainable practices and mindfulness. The movement spans various domains such as food, cities, education, fashion, and more, advocating for a balanced and holistic lifestyle that resists the fast-paced demands of modern society.

Initiatives linked to this movement include the [[Cittaslow]] organization to promote slowness in cities, most notably Rome, [[Naples]], and [[Paris]].<ref name="Parkins-2006">{{Cite book |last1=Parkins |first1=Wendy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2OtAwAAQBAJ&dq=Cittaslow+%22slow+movement%22&pg=PA79 |title=Slow Living |last2=Craig |first2=Geoffrey |date=February 2006 |publisher=Berg |isbn=978-1-84520-160-9 |language=en}}</ref> [[Car-free days]] and banning [[Vespa]]s to reduce urban noise are a few initiatives.<ref name="Parkins-2006" />

==Origins== The slow movement is a [[cultural movement]] which advocates slowing down the pace of human life. It emerged from the [[Slow Food|slow food]] movement, and [[Carlo Petrini]]'s 1986 protest against the opening of a [[McDonald's]] restaurant in the [[Piazza di Spagna]], [[Rome]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=LDN |first=Slow Living |date=2023-07-31 |title=Slow Food Movement Guide: Definition, History |url=https://slowlivingldn.com/journal/gather-feast/what-is-the-slow-food-movement/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Slow Living LDN. |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Petrini |first=Carlo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SRDVAgAAQBAJ&q=carlo+petrini+slow+movement |title=Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean, and Fair |date=2013-10-08 |publisher=Rizzoli Publications |isbn=978-0-8478-4146-2 |language=en}}</ref>

Geir Berthelsen's ''The World Institute of Slowness''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theworldinstituteofslowness.com/|title=The World Institute Of Slowness|website=The World Institute Of Slowness}}</ref> presented a vision in 1999 for a "slow planet".

In [[Carl Honoré]]'s 2004 book, ''[[In Praise of Slow]]'', he describes the slow movement as:

{{blockquote| "a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better. The Slow philosophy is not about doing everything at a snail's pace. It's about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savoring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It's about quality over quantity in everything from work to food to parenting."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thriveglobal.com/stories/why-the-slow-movement-is-gaining-momentum/|title=Why the 'Slow' Movement Is Gaining Momentum|website=thriveglobal.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> }}

Norwegian professor [[Guttorm Fløistad]] summarises the philosophy, stating:

{{blockquote| "The only thing for certain is that everything changes. The rate of change increases. If you want to hang on, you better speed up. That is the message of today. It could however be useful to remind everyone that our basic needs never change. The need to be seen and appreciated! It is the need to belong. The need for nearness and care, and for a little love! This is given only through slowness in human relations. In order to master changes, we have to recover slowness, reflection and togetherness. There we will find real renewal."<ref name="Di Nicola">{{Cite web|url=https://aeon.co/essays/take-your-time-the-seven-pillars-of-a-slow-thought-manifesto|title=Take your time: the seven pillars of a Slow Thought manifesto – Vincenzo Di Nicola {{!}} Aeon Essays|last=Di Nicola|first=Vincenzo|website=Aeon|language=en|access-date=2020-02-22}}</ref> }}{{Clear}}

== Beliefs ==

=== Art === ''Slow Art Day'' was founded by Phil Terry and officially launched in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |last2=Solly |first2=Meilan |title=This Saturday, Museums Across the Globe Are Asking Visitors to Linger for Slow Art Day |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/saturday-museums-are-asking-visitors-linger-honor-slow-art-day-180971884/ |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref> During one day in April each year, museums and art galleries around the world host events focused on intentionally experiencing art through "slow looking". The movement aims to help people discover the joy of looking at art, typically through observing a painting or sculpture for 10–15 minutes, often followed by discussion.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-04-05|title=Slow art? It will 'blow your mind'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47699001|access-date=2021-04-27}}</ref> The Slow Art Day team publishes an Annual Report<ref>{{Cite web|title=Slow Art Day Host Tools {{!}} Slow Art Day|url=https://www.slowartday.com/about/tools/|access-date=2021-04-27|language=en-US}}</ref> each year on its website, which features a range of events hosted by art institutions.

=== Ageing ===

''Slow [[ageing]]'' (or ''slow aging'') is a distinct approach to [[successful ageing]], advocating a personal and [[holistic]] positive approach to the process of ageing.<ref name=FLSA>{{cite book|title=Fast Living Slow Ageing|author=Kate Marie & Christopher Thomas|publisher=Mileage Media|date=November 10, 2009|isbn=9780980633900}}</ref><ref name=GY>{{cite book|title=Growth Youthful|author=David Niven Miller}}</ref> Established as part of the broader slow movement in the 1980s,<ref name=FLSA/><ref name=GY/> as opposed to the [[Interventionism (medicine)|interventionist]]-based and commercially backed medical [[anti-aging]] system, it involves personal ownership and non-medical intervention options in gaining potential natural [[life extension]].<ref name="FLSA"/><ref name="GY"/>

=== Cinema === {{main|Slow cinema}}

''Slow cinema'' is a [[cinematography]] style which derives from the [[art film]] genre. It aims to convey a sense of calculated slowness to the viewer. Slow films often consist of a resistance to movement and emotion, a lack of causality and a devotion to [[Realism (arts)#Cinema|realism]].<ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Çaglayan |first1=Orhan Emre |title=Screening boredom: the history and aesthetics of slow cinema |date=February 2014 |url=https://kar.kent.ac.uk/43155/ }}</ref> This is usually obtained through the use of [[long take]]s, minimalist acting, slow or inexistent camera movements, unconventional use of music and sparse editing. Slow cinema directors include [[Béla Tarr]], [[Lav Diaz]], [[Nuri Bilge Ceylan]], [[Abbas Kiarostami]], [[Tsai Ming-liang]], [[Andrei Tarkovsky]] and [[Theo Angelopoulos]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mai |first=Nadin |date=October 1, 2020 |title=10 Great Slow Films |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-slow-films |access-date=June 28, 2024 |website=BFI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Cağlayan |first=Emre |title=Poetics of Slow Cinema |publisher=October 2018 |year=2018 |isbn=978-3-319-96872-8 |pages=161–219}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kamdar |first=Hetvi |date=June 28, 2024 |title=Abbas Kiarostami and The Poetry of Cinema |url=https://www.purposestudios.in/post/abbas-kiarostami-and-the-poetry-of-cinema#:~:text=These%20films%20are%20about%20unlearning,for%20fast%20paced%20action%20enthusiasts. |access-date=June 28, 2024 |website=Purpose Studies}}</ref>

=== Cittaslow === {{Main|Cittaslow}} Cittaslow International states its mission as "to enlarge the philosophy of Slow Food to local communities and to government of towns, applying the concepts of ecogastronomy at practice of everyday life".<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2024 |title=Association |url=https://www.cittaslow.org/content/association |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=Citislow International}}</ref> It seeks to improve the quality and enjoyment of living by encouraging happiness and self-determination.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tranter |first1=Paul J. |last2= Tolley| first2= Rodney| title=Slow cities: conquering our speed addiction for health and sustainability|date=2020 |publisher=[[Elsevier]] |location=Amsterdam |isbn=978-0-12-815316-1 |doi= 10.1016/C2017-0-03013-6|doi-access= free }}</ref> Cittaslow cities use the concept of [[globalization]] to prevent the impending globalization of their cities. [[Lisa Servon]] and [[Sarah Pink]] observe that, "The case of the Spanish Cittaslow towns offers a particular example of how towns can actively exploit the interpenetration of the global and the local. In these towns, a local–global relationship has emerged in ways that enable controlled development and the maintenance of local uniqueness."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Servon |first1=Lisa J. |last2=Pink |first2=Sarah |title=Cittaslow: Going Glocal in Spain |journal=Journal of Urban Affairs |date=August 2015 |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=327–340 |doi=10.1111/juaf.12169 |s2cid=154216773 }}</ref>

=== Consumption === Tim Cooper, author of Longer Lasting Products, is a strong advocate of "slow consumption", and is quoted as saying, "The issue to address is what kind of economy is going to be sustainable in its wider sense, economically, environmentally and socially." [[Saul Griffith]] introduced "heirloom design" during a February Greener Gadgets conference in 2009. He notes a lasting design, the ability to repair, and the option of being modernized to advocate slow consumption. Legislation, alternative options, and consumer pressure can encourage manufacturers to design items in a more heirloom fashion.<ref name="inthesetimes.com">{{Cite web|title=Built to Trash|url=https://inthesetimes.com/article/built-to-trash|access-date=2021-04-27|website=In These Times|date=21 October 2009 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Counseling ===

According to some, recent technological advances have resulted in a fast-paced style of living. ''Slow [[Counseling|counselors]]'' understand that many clients are seeking ways to reduce stress and cultivate a more balanced approach to life. Developed by Dr. Randy Astramovich and Dr. Wendy Hoskins and rooted in the slow movement, slow counseling offers counselors a wellness focused foundation for addressing the time urgency and stress often reported by clients.<ref>[http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=jice "Slow Counseling: Promoting Wellness in a Fast World"], ''Journal for International Counselor Education'' (2012) Volume 4.</ref>

=== Conversation === According to ''[[Fast Company]]'': "An unhurried conversation uses a simple process to allow people to take turns to speak without being interrupted. Everyone agrees at the start that only the person holding a chosen object (often a sugar bowl) is allowed to talk. Once the speaker has finished, they put the object down, signalling that they have said what they want to say. Someone else then picks up the object and takes their turn. Each speaker can respond to some or all of what the previous speaker said, or they can take the conversation in an entirely new direction."<ref name="Fast Company">{{Cite news|date=2021-03-17|title=How unhurried conversations allow good work to happen naturally|language=en-GB|work=Fast Company|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90611543/how-unhuarried-conversations-allow-good-work-to-happen-naturally}}</ref>

''Unhurried Conversations'' is a term used by the author of ''Unhurried at Work'' Johnnie Moore, about how people can work together at a speed that makes the most of their human qualities.<ref name="Fast Company"/>

=== Democracy === Slow democracy describes local governance models that are inclusive, empowered, and centered on [[deliberative democracy]].

Described by Susan Clark and Woden Teachout in their book ''Slow Democracy,''<ref name="slowdemo2012">{{Cite book |last1=Clark |first1=Susan |title=Slow democracy: Rediscovering community, bringing decision making back home |last2=Teachout |first2=Woden |date=2012 |publisher=Chelsea Green Publishing |isbn=978-1-60358-413-5 |location=White River Junction, VT}}</ref> the concept parallels the [[Slow Food]] movement's call for authenticity in food production, and highlights decision-making models based on authentic community involvement. Clark and Teachout note:<blockquote>"Slow democracy is not a call for longer meetings or more time between decisions. Instead, it is a reminder of the care needed for full-blooded, empowered community decision making."<ref name="slowdemo2012"/>{{rp|p=xxiii}}</blockquote>Examples of slow democracy include: [[Participatory budgeting|Participatory Budgeting]]; the Swiss and New England (U.S.) [[town meeting]]; Dialogue to Change and [[Study circle|Study Circles]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCoy |first=Martha |date=2022-02-27 |title=Creating Democratic Spaces for Addressing Racism on College Campuses: The Example of Dialogue to Change at Oklahoma State University |url=https://www.ejournalofpublicaffairs.org/creating-democratic-spaces-for-addressing-racism-on-college-campuses-the-example-of-dialogue-to-change-at-oklahoma-state-university/ |website=E-Journal of Public Affairs |publisher= |language=en-US}}</ref> processes when connected with democratic action, such as the Portsmouth, New Hampshire "Portsmouth Listens" model;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Process {{!}} Deliberative Democracy |url=https://portsmouthlistens.org/process/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Portsmouth Listens |language=en-US}}</ref> and many other [[participatory democracy]] models. The National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Coalition For Dialogue & Deliberation |url=https://www.ncdd.org/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=National Coalition For Dialogue & Deliberation |language=en}}</ref> serves as a network for many scholars and practitioners of slow democracy.

Slow democracy inspired the Living Room Conversations organization<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-14 |title=Homepage - Living Room Conversations |url=https://livingroomconversations.org/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> co-founded by [[Joan Blades]], because slowing down to consider how we characterize "the other" is crucial to democratic engagement and to peacebuilding.<ref>Shryack, Jessica, et al. "Living room conversations: Identity formation and democracy." ''Building peace in America'' (2020): 63-74</ref>

Harvard Law School professor [[Lawrence Lessig]] writes that, like slow food, slow democracy is:<blockquote>"a strategy for resisting what we know would be most tempting but what we have learned is both empty and harmful. ... [T]he slow democracy movement says that we should do politics in particular contexts, not because those contexts can't be hacked or will never be poisonous, but because it's just harder to hack them or make them poisonous."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lessig |first=Lawrence |title=They don't represent us: reclaiming our democracy |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |year=2019 |isbn=978-0-06-294571-6 |edition= |location=New York, NY |pages=191}}</ref></blockquote>Scholars of dialogue and deliberation have expressed concern that increased online and face-to-face communication can lead to information overload, but incorporating slow democracy processes featuring listening and reflection can improve the experience.<ref>Ercan, Selen A., Carolyn M. Hendriks, and John S. Dryzek. "Public deliberation in an era of communicative plenty." ''Policy & politics'' 47.1 (2019): 19-35.</ref> Proponents of community-led housing cite slow democracy as integral to their place-specific development efforts.<ref>Jarvis, Helen. "Community‐led housing and 'slow' opposition to corporate development: citizen participation as common ground?." ''Geography Compass'' 9.4 (2015): 202-213.</ref>

=== Education === {{main|Slow education|Slow reading}}

As an alternative approach to modern faster styles of reading, such as [[speed reading]], the concept of [[slow reading]] has been reintroduced as an educational branch of the slow movement. For instance, the ancient Greek method of slow reading known as Lectio, now known as [[Lectio Divina]], has become a way of reading that encourages more in-depth analysis and a greater understanding of the text being read. Though the method is originally of [[Christian monasticism|Christian monastic]] origin, and has been used primarily as a tool to better understand the [[Bible]], its technique can be applied in other areas of education besides the study of [[theology]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Badley |first1=Jo-Ann K. |last2=Badley |first2=Ken |title=Slow Reading: Reading along Lectio Lines. |journal=Journal of Education and Christian Belief |date=2011 |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=29–42 |doi=10.1177/205699711101500104 |s2cid=142901202 |url=https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/soe_faculty/35 }}</ref>

=== Fashion === {{main|Slow fashion}} [[File:CommunityClosetThriftStoreItems.jpg|thumb|A thrift store, 2009. Shopping for [[Vintage clothing|secondhand clothing]] aligns with slow fashion beliefs. ]] The term ''[[slow fashion]]'' was coined by Kate Fletcher in 2007 (Centre for Sustainable Fashion, UK).<ref>[http://bth.se/fou/cuppsats.nsf/28b5b36bec7ba32bc125744b004b97d0/a97ef79c5d4af3cec125774c004d6240!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,slow*,fashion*Slow Fashion:Tailoring a Strategic Approach Towards Sustainability] by Maureen Dickson, Carlotta Cataldi, and Crystal Grover</ref> "Slow fashion is not a seasonal [[trend]] that comes and goes like [[animal print]], but a [[sustainable fashion]] movement that is gaining momentum."<ref>[http://www.slowfashioned.com/about What is Slow Fashion?] by Jessica Bourland, Slow Fashioned</ref>

The slow fashion style is based on the same principles of the slow food movement, as the alternative to [[Mass production|mass-produced]] clothing (also known as [[fast fashion]]). Initially, the slow clothing movement was intended to reject all mass-produced clothing, referring only to clothing made by hand,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131214112955/http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=2274%2F Slow Clothing] by Sharon Astyk, groovy green</ref> but has broadened to include many interpretations and is practiced in various ways.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abitslow.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/slow-fashion-101/|title=Slow Fashion 101|date=January 28, 2011}}</ref> Functional and fashion novelty drives consumers to replace their items faster, causing an increase of imported goods into the [[United States]] alone. It was reported by the [[Economic Policy Institute]] that in 2007, the U.S. imported six billion dollars' worth in fashion articles.

Some examples of slow fashion practices include:{{citation needed|date=December 2023}} * Opposing and [[boycotting]] mass-produced "fast fashion" or "McFashion" * Choosing [[artisan]] products to support smaller businesses, [[fair trade]] and locally made clothes * Buying secondhand or vintage clothing, and donating unwanted garments * Choosing clothing made with [[sustainable]], ethically made or [[recycled fabric]]s * Choosing quality garments that will last longer, transcend trends (a "classic" style), and be repairable * [[Do it yourself|Doing it yourself]]: making, mending, customising, altering, and [[up-cycling]] one's own clothing * Slowing the rate of fashion consumption: buying fewer clothes less often

The slow fashion ethos is related to the "sustainable", "eco", "green", and "ethical" fashion movements. It encourages education about the garment industry's connection with and impact on the environment, such as [[Depleting Resource|depleting resources]], slowing of the [[supply chain]] to reduce the number of trends and seasons and to encourage quality production, and return greater value to garments, removing the image of disposability of fashion.<ref>[http://www.notjustalabel.com/articles/slow_fashion "Slow Fashion"] by Maureen Dickson, Carlotta Cataldi, and Crystal Grover</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lousagar.blogspot.com/2011/01/slow-fashion-is-not-trend-its-movement.html|title=Slow Fashion is not a Trend: Its a Movement}}</ref><ref>Cline, Elizabeth L. (2012) ''Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion''. Penguin Group. New York.</ref> Hazel Clark states there are "three lines of reflection: the valuing of local [[resource]]s and [[Distributed economy|distributed economies]]; transparent production systems with less intermediation between producer and consumer, and sustainable and sensorial products ..."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Clark |first1=Hazel |title=SLOW + FASHION—an Oxymoron—or a Promise for the Future ...? |journal=Fashion Theory |date=December 2008 |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=427–446 |doi=10.2752/175174108X346922 |s2cid=194180788 }}</ref>

=== Food === {{Main|Slow Food}} [[Image:SlowFoodThera06676.JPG|thumb|300px|A slow food restaurant placard in [[Santorini]], Greece]] As opposed to the culture of [[fast food]], the sub-movement known as ''slow food'' seeks to encourage the enjoyment of [[Local food|regional produce]] and [[traditional food]]s, which are often grown [[Organic food|organically]], and to enjoy these foods in the company of others. It aims to defend agricultural biodiversity.

The movement claims 83,000 members in 50 countries, which are organised into 800 ''[[Conviviality|Convivia]]'' or local chapters.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074654/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/2008/08/whats_slow_food_anyway.html "What's Slow Food, Anyway?"], ''[[The Washington Post]]''</ref> Sometimes operating under a logo of a snail, the collective philosophy is to preserve and support traditional ways of life. Today,{{When|date=April 2021}} 42 states in the United States have their own ''convivium''.

The movement, while widely celebrated for its emphasis on local, sustainable, and traditional food practices, has faced various criticisms. One significant critique is the potential elitism inherent in its approach. Slow Food's advocacy for artisanal and small-scale production often results in higher prices for its endorsed food products, which may limit the movement's accessibility to wealthier individuals. Founder [[Carlo Petrini]] himself has noted this issue, reflecting on his visit to a California farmers market where the clientele appeared predominantly wealthy.<ref name="Schneider2008">{{cite journal |last=Schneider |first=Stephen |title=Good, Clean, Fair: The Rhetoric of the Slow Food Movement |journal=College English |volume=70 |issue=4 |pages=384–402 |year=2008 |doi=10.58680/ce20086356 |jstor=25472277 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/25472277}}</ref>

Furthermore, Slow Food has been criticized for prioritizing hedonism over substantive political action. The movement's focus on pleasure, taste, and consumption patterns has led to accusations of it being more concerned with gastronomic enjoyment than with addressing broader political and economic injustices.<ref name="Schneider2008"/>

=== Gaming === ''Slow gaming'' is an approach to [[video game]]s that is meant to be more slow-paced and more focused on challenging the assumptions and feelings of the player than on their skills and reflexes.<ref name="Gamasutra">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/in-praise-of-slow-games|title=In Praise of Slow Games|website=www.gamasutra.com|date=24 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002051435/https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/ArturGanszyniec/20190624/345350/In_Praise_of_Slow_Games.php |language=en|access-date=2019-10-07|url-status=live|archive-date=2 October 2019 }}</ref>

A "Slow Games Movement Manifesto" was written by [[Scottish people|Scottish]] [[game design]]er Mitch Alexander in September 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hxovax.itch.io/slow-games-movement-manifesto|title=Slow Games Movement Manifesto by Mitch Alexander|website=itch.io|language=en|access-date=2019-10-07}}</ref> and a "Slow Gaming Manifesto" was independently published on [[Gamasutra]] by [[Polish people|Polish]] game designer [[Artur Ganszyniec]] in June 2019.<ref name="Gamasutra" /><ref name="Medium">{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@arturganszyniec/in-praise-of-slow-games-96aef8dbec1|title=In Praise of Slow Games|website=www.medium.com|date=23 June 2019|language=en|access-date=2024-04-04}}</ref>

Some games that can be considered examples of "slow gaming" include: ''[[Firewatch]]'' (2016), ''[[Heaven's Vault]]'' (2019), ''[[Journey (2012 video game)|Journey]]'' (2012), ''[[Wanderlust Travel Stories]]'' (2019), and ''[[The Longing]]'' (2020).<ref>[https://www.nexto.pl/e-prasa/logo_p17735.xml Slow Gaming]. Piotr Gnyp, Magazyn Logo 10/2019</ref>

=== Gardening === {{Main|Slow gardening}}

''Slow gardening'' is an approach that helps gardeners savor what they grow using all their senses through all the seasons.

=== Goods === ''Slow goods'' takes its core direction from various elements of the overall slow movement, applying it to the conception, design and manufacturing of physical objects. Its key tenets are: low production runs, the use of craftspeople within the process, on-shore manufacturing, and smaller, local supply and service partners.

The rationale for this local engagement facilitates the assurance of quality, the revitalization of local manufacturing industries, and reduces greatly the [[Ecological footprint|footprint]] related to the shipment of goods across regions of land and/or water.

Physical goods affected by the slow movement represent much diversity, including [[slow architecture]] and building design. The slow movement is affecting the concept and planning stages of commercial buildings, chiefly [[LEED]] certified projects.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ww16.slowdesign.org/?sub1=20221223-0903-1828-8182-c8ee9ab46d9d|title=slowdesign.org - slowdesign Resources and Information.|website=ww16.slowdesign.org}}</ref>

This movement seeks to break current conventions of perpetuating the disposable nature of mass production. By using higher-quality materials and craftsmanship, items attain a longer lifespan, similar to manufacturing eras in the past.

=== Living === {{Main|Slow living}} Authors Beth Meredith and Eric Storm summarize [[slow living]] as follows: {{blockquote| Slow Living means structuring your life around meaning and fulfillment. Similar to "voluntary simplicity" and "downshifting", it emphasizes a less-is-more approach, focusing on the quality of your life. ... Slow Living addresses the desire to lead a more balanced life and to pursue a more holistic sense of well-being in the fullest sense of the word. }}  === Marketing === Slow marketing is a reaction to the perceived "always-on" nature of [[digital marketing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1353572/why-brands-embrace-slow-marketing|title=Why brands should embrace 'slow marketing'|last=Kemp|first=Nicola|date=27 July 2015|work=[[Marketing (British magazine)|Marketing]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922151441/http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/1353572/why-brands-embrace-slow-marketing?src_site=marketingmagazine|archive-date=22 September 2016|access-date=25 March 2020}}</ref> It emphasizes a [[customer-centric]] outlook, sustainability, and ethics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://adage.com/article/digital-columns/digital-time-a-movement-slow-marketing/137644/|title=It's Time for a Movement Toward 'Slow Marketing'|last=Blackshaw|first=Pete|work=[[Advertising Age]]|date=29 June 2009|access-date=7 March 2016}}</ref> It builds relationships with customers instead of encouraging immediate results, such as a limited time offer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10879064|title=Graham McGregor: 'Fast' versus 'slow' marketing|last=McGregor|first=Graham|work=[[New Zealand Herald]]|date=23 April 2013|access-date=7 March 2016}}</ref>

=== Media === {{Main|Slow media|Slow television|Slow journalism}}

''Slow media'' and ''Slow television'' are movements aiming at sustainable and focused media production as well as [[media consumption]]. They formed in the context of a massive acceleration of news distribution ending in almost real-time digital media such as [[Twitter]]. Beginning in 2010, many local Slow Media initiatives formed in the USA<ref>[http://slowmedia.typepad.com/ Slow Media Blog] by Jennifer Rauch</ref> and [[Europe]] ([[Germany]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://slow-media.net/manifesto|title=German Slow Media Manifesto}}</ref> [[France]], Italy) leading to a high attention in [[Mass media|mass-media]].<ref>Forbes Magazine, "[https://archive.today/20130123123342/http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/29/media-newspapers-internet-opinions-columnists-trevor-butterworth.html Time for a Slow-Word Movement]"</ref> Others experiment with a reduction of their daily media intake and log their efforts online ("slow media diet").{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

=== Medicine === {{Main|Slow medicine}} ''[[Slow medicine]]'' fosters taking time in developing a relationship between the practitioner and the patient, and in applying medical knowledge, technology and treatment to the specific and unique character of the patient in his or her overall situation.<ref>Victoria Sweet (2017). ''Slow Medicine: The Way to Healing'', Riverhead Books.</ref>

=== Money === ''Slow Money'' is a [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit organization]], founded to organize investors and donors to steer new sources of capital to small food enterprises, [[organic farms]], and local food systems. Slow Money takes its name from the Slow Food movement. Slow Money aims to develop the relationship between capital markets and place, including social and [[soil fertility]]. It supports [[Grassroots|grass-roots]] mobilization through network building, convening, publishing, and incubating intermediary strategies and structures of funding.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

=== Parenting === {{Main|Slow parenting}}

''[[Slow parenting]]'' encourages parents to plan less for their children, allowing them to explore the world at their own pace. It is a response to hyper-parenting and [[helicopter parent]]ing; the widespread trend for parents to schedule activities and classes after school every day and every weekend, to solve problems on behalf of the children, and to buy commercial services and products. It was described by [[Carl Honoré]] in ''Under Pressure: Rescuing Our Children from the Culture Of Hyper-Parenting''.<ref name="underpressure">{{cite book|title=Under Pressure: Rescuing Our Children From The Culture Of Hyper-Parenting|first=Carl|last=Honoré|publisher=Orion|year=2008|isbn=978-0-7528-7531-6}}</ref>

=== Photography === {{Main|Slow photography}} The ''Slow photography'' movement prioritizes the process and experience of taking photos over mere documentation. It often involves film photography but can be applied using any camera.<ref name=":r0">{{Cite news |last=Wu |first=Tim |date=2011-01-18 |title=The Slow-Photography Movement |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2011/01/the-slow-photography-movement-asks-what-is-the-point-of-taking-pictures.html |access-date=2024-02-19 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref> The movement emerged as a response to the ubiquity of digital photography and snapshot culture, emphasizing manual techniques and a deeper engagement with the physical materials of images.

David Campany defined the concept in his 2003 essay "Safety in Numbness: Some remarks on the problems of 'Late Photography.'"<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Trace of a Trace |url=https://photohistories.org/reviews/the-trace-of-a-trace |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=photohistories.org}}</ref> He used Joel Meyerowitz's post-9/11 photography, later published in ''Aftermath,'' to highlight the role of photography in public memory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://davidcampany.com/safety-in-numbness/ |title=safety-in-numbness |publisher=davidcampany.com |date=January 1, 2003 |accessdate=May 6, 2016 }}</ref> Norwegian photographer Johanne Seines Svendsen, known for using long exposure times and the [[wetplate collodion process]], exemplifies this technique.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LensCulture |first=Johanne Seines Svendsen |title=Johanne Seines Svendsen |url=https://www.lensculture.com/johanne-seines-svendsen |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=LensCulture |language=en}}</ref> Her series "The Slow Photography" was showcased at the 67th North Norwegian Art Exhibition in 2013, featuring ambrotypes and alumitypes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Svendsen |first=Johanne Seines |title=Johanne Seines Svendsen - The Slow Photography |url=https://www.lensculture.com/projects/19158-the-slow-photography |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=LensCulture |language=en}}</ref>

=== Religion === ''Slow church'' is a movement in [[Christian worship|Christian praxis]] which integrates slow-movement principles into the structure and character of the local church. The phrase was introduced in 2008 by [[Christians|Christian]] [[bloggers]] working independently who imagined what such a "slow church" might look like.<ref name=Nunley>{{cite web |last=Nunley |first=Jan |title=Slow Church |work=anglimergent |date=8 January 2008 |url=http://anglimergent.ning.com/group/slowchurch/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=facegroup>{{citation |last=Nunley |first=Jan |title=Slow Church |work="Slow Church" Group Page |publisher=[[Facebook]] |date=4 February 2008 |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/8399753885/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=childress>{{cite web |title=Walking with God Slowly |last=Childress |first=Kyle |date=20 May 2008 |url=http://www.ekklesiaproject.org/blog/2008/08/walking-with-god-slowly/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref> Over the next several years, the concept continued to be discussed online and in print by various writers and ministers.<ref name=Land>{{cite web |last=Land |first=Lucas |title=The Slow Church Movement |work=Transforming the Body |date=11 May 2009 |url=http://wwje.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/the-slow-church-movement/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=chron>{{cite news |last=Shellnutt |first=Kate |title=Slow food movement serves as church inspiration |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |date=7 July 2011 |url= http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Slow-food-movement-serves-as-church-inspiration-2080311.php/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=mcateer>{{cite web |last1=McAteer |first1=Anastasia |last2=McAteer |first2=John |title=Slow Food, Slow Church |date=29 July 2011 |url=http://www.clayfirecurator.org/2011/07/slow-food-slow-church-john-anastasia-mcateer/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref>

In July 2012, a three-day conference titled ''Slow Church: Abiding Together in the Patient Work of God'' was held on the campus of [[DePaul University]] in [[Chicago]] on the topic of slow church and featured [[Christian ethics|Christian ethicist]] [[Stanley Hauerwas]] and Kyle Childress, among others.<ref name=conf>{{cite interview |last=Hauerwas |first=Stanley |subject-link=Stanley Hauerwas |interviewer=Kyle Childress |location=Chicago |date=6 July 2012 |title=Slow Church: Abiding Together in the Patient Work of God |contribution=Stan and Kyle Talk Slow Church |url= http://www.ekklesiaproject.org/the-gathering/2012-slow-church-and-fast-friends/schedule-gathering-2012/plenary-session-2/ |access-date=2 March 2013}}</ref> An online blog called "Slow Church" written by C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison is hosted by [[Patheos]],<ref name=facebook>{{citation |contribution=Slow Church |title=facebook.com |url=https://www.facebook.com/SlowChurch/ |access-date=2 March 2013}}</ref><ref name=patheos>{{citation |contribution=Slow Church |title=Patheos |url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slowchurch/what-is-slow-church/ |access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref> and Smith and Pattison have written a book by the same name, published in June 2014.<ref name=facebook /><ref name=book>{{Cite book| title=Slow Church |author1=C. Christopher Smith |author2=John Pattison |publisher=InterVarsity Press | year=2014 | isbn = 978-0830841141}}</ref>

Ethics, ecology, and economy are cited as areas of central concern to slow church.<ref name=sojo1>{{cite web|title=Slow Down and Know That I Am God: Why it's time for a conversation about Slow Church|url=http://sojo.net/magazine/2012/12/slow-down-and-know-i-am-god/|last=Smith|first=C. Christopher|access-date=1 March 2013|date=December 2012|work=Sojourners}}</ref><ref name=sojo2>{{cite web|title=The Ikea Effect, Slow Church, and Laboring Our Way Into Love|url=http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/02/07/ikea-effect-slow-church-and-laboring-our-way-love/ |last=Piatt|first=Christian|access-date=2 March 2013|date=7 February 2013|work=Sojourners}}</ref> Smith describes slow church as a "conversation", not a movement, and has cited [[New Monasticism]] as an influence.<ref name=sojo1 /> In its emphases on non-traditional ways for churches to operate and on "conversation" over [[Christian dogma|dogma]] and [[Hierarchy of the Catholic Church|hierarchy]], slow church is also related to the broader Christian "[[emerging church]]" movement.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

=== Scholarship === ''Slow [[scholarship]]'' is a response to hasty scholarship and the demands of [[Corporatization|corporatized]] [[Neoliberalism|neoliberal]] [[Academy|academic]] culture, which may compromise the quality and integrity of research, education, and well-being.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Slow Scholarship: A Manifesto|url=http://web.uvic.ca/~hist66/slowScholarship/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=web.uvic.ca}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=April 2021}} This movement attempts to counter the erosion of [[humanistic education]], analyze the consequences of the culture of speed,<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy|last=Berg|first=Maggie|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2016|isbn=978-1442645561|location=Toronto}}</ref> and "explores alternatives to the fast-paced, metric-oriented neoliberal [[university]] through a slow-moving conversation on ways to slow down and claim time for slow scholarship and collective action."<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Mountz|first=Allison|date=2015|title=For Slow Scholarship: A Feminist Politics of Resistance through Collective Action in the Neoliberal University|url=https://www.academia.edu/12192676|journal=ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies|volume=14}}</ref>

=== Science === {{Main|Slow science}} The ''[[slow science]]'' movement's objective is to enable scientists to take the time to think and read. The prevalent culture of science is [[publish or perish]], where scientists are judged to be better if they publish more papers in less time, and only those who do so are able to maintain their careers. Those who practice and promote slow science suggest that "society should give scientists the time they need".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://slow-science.org/|title=SLOW-SCIENCE.org — Bear with us, while we think.|website=slow-science.org}}</ref>

=== Technology === The ''slow technology'' approach aims to emphasize that technology can support reflection rather than efficiency. This approach has been discussed through various examples, for example those in [[interaction design]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hallnäs |first1=Lars |last2=Redström |first2=Johan |title=Slow Technology – Designing for Reflection |journal=Personal and Ubiquitous Computing |date=August 2001 |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=201–212 |doi=10.1007/PL00000019 |s2cid=11108465 }}</ref> or [[virtual environments]]. It is related to other parallel efforts such as those towards reflective design,<ref>[[Phoebe Sengers|Sengers, Phoebe]], Kirsten Boehner, Shay David and Joseph Kaye (2005). "Reflective Design", in ''Proceedings of the 4th Decennial Conference on Critical Computing: between Sense and Sensibility'', ed. by Olav W. Bertelsen, Niels Olof Bouvin, Peter G. Krogh and Kynd Morten (Aarhus, Denmark: ACM), pp. 49-58 [http://www.nyu.edu/projects/nissenbaum/papers/reflectivedesign.pdf]</ref> [[critical design]], and [[critical technical practice]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

=== Thought (philosophy) === ''Slow thought'' calls for a slow [[philosophy]] to ease thinking into a more playful and porous dialogue about what it means to live. [[Vincenzo Di Nicola]]'s "Slow Thought Manifesto" elucidates and illuminates Slow thought through seven proclamations, published and cited in [[English language|English]],<ref name="Di Nicola" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://app.getpocket.com/read/2863331842|title=Slow Thought: A Manifesto|last=Di Nicola|first=Vincenzo|website=app.getpocket.com|access-date=2020-02-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Belshaw|first=Doug|date=2018-03-15|title=The tenets of 'Slow Thought'|url=https://thoughtshrapnel.com/2018/03/15/slow-thought/|access-date=2020-03-29|website=Doug Belshaw's Thought Shrapnel|language=en-GB}}</ref> [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Di Nicola|first=Vincenzo|date=2018-05-13|title=Pemikiran Lambat: sebuah manifesto|url=https://ilhamlazuardi.atavist.com/pemikiran-lambat-sebuah-manifesto|access-date=2020-12-14|website=Atavist|language=id}}</ref> [[Italian language|Italian]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Di Nicola|first=Vincenzo|date=2020-10-13|title=Slow Thought: un manifesto del pensiero lento|url=https://scuolapsicoterapiaroma.it/iefcos-3/slow-thought-un-manifesto-del-pensiero-lento/|access-date=2020-12-14|website=IEFCoS|language=it-IT}}</ref> and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Di Nicola|first=Vincenzo|date=2020|title=Pensamento Lento, Um Manifesto|trans-title=Slow Thought, A Manifesto|url=https://seer.faccat.br/index.php/psi/article/view/1774|journal=Revista Universo Psi|language=pt|volume=1|issue=2|pages=123–133|issn=2674-8916}}</ref> and frequently cited in [[French language|French]]:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/apres-le-slow-food-voici-le-slow-thoughts-96189|title=Après le " slow food ", voici le " slow thoughts "|last=Gendreau|first=Sylvie|website=The Conversation|date=7 May 2018 |language=fr|trans-title=After "slow food," here is "slow thought"|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Patrick|first=Kervern|date=2018-05-28|title=Slow Thought : Les 7 principes de la pensée lente|url=https://umanz.fr/a-la-une/28/05/2018/slow-thought-les-7-principes-de-la-pensee-lente|access-date=2020-07-03|website=Umanz|language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Plaoutine|first1=Elisabeth|last2=Scheffer|first2=Sylvaine|date=2019-02-14|title=" Ralentir pour accélérer " : prenons de la hauteur sur la notion de temps -|url=https://www.coevolution.fr/blog/ralentir/|access-date=2020-07-03|website=Coévolution|language=fr-FR}}</ref>

# Slow thought is marked by [[Peripatetic school|peripatetic]] [[Socratic method|Socratic walks]], the face-to-face encounter of [[Emmanuel Levinas]], and [[Mikhail Bakhtin]]'s dialogic conversations # Slow thought creates its own time and place # Slow thought has no other object than itself # Slow thought is porous # Slow thought is playful # Slow thought is a counter-method, rather than a method, for thinking as it relaxes, releases, and liberates thought from its constraints and the trauma of tradition # Slow thought is deliberate

Notable slow thinkers include [[Mahatma Gandhi]] who affirmed that, "There is more to life than simply increasing its speed",<ref>{{Cite web|last=Artug|first=Esat|title=4 Quotes by Gandhi That Will Reshape Your Perspective on Life|url=https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/4-quotes-by-gandhi-that-will-reshape-your-perspective-on-life-5250f7f0251f|access-date=2020-12-19|website=Live Your Life on Purpose}}</ref> [[Giorgio Agamben]] (on the philosophy of [[childhood]]),<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Agamben|first=Giorgio|date=2001-01-01|title=For a Philosophy of Infancy|url=https://public.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/public/article/view/29996|journal=Public|language=en-US|issue=21}}</ref> [[Walter Benjamin]] (on the porosity of [[Naples]]),<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jeffries|first=Stuart|url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/sep/21/walter-benjamin-marseille-moscow-cities|title=In praise of dirty, sexy cities: the urban world according to Walter Benjamin|date=2015-09-21|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-02-24|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> and [[Johan Huizinga]] (on [[Homo Ludens|play]] as an interlude in our daily lives). Di Nicola's Slow Thought Manifesto is featured in Julian Hanna's ''The Manifesto Handbook'' as a reaction against acceleration, "elucidating seven principles, including the practice of being 'asynchronous' or resisting the speed of modern times in favor of the 'slow logic of thought' and working toward greater focus".<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Manifesto Handbook: 95 Theses on an Incendiary Form|last=Hanna|first=Julian|year=2020|publisher=Zero Books|page=126|id={{ASIN|1785358987|country=ca}}}}</ref> The Slow Thought Manifesto is being cited in philosophy,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Snir|first=Itay|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mOv_DwAAQBAJ&q=slow+thought+manifesto&pg=PA27|title=Education and Thinking in Continental Philosophy: Thinking Against the Current in Adorno, Arendt, Deleuze, Derrida and Rancière|date=2020|publisher=Springer Nature|isbn=978-3-030-56526-8|language=en}}</ref> [[information science]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gorichanaz|first=Tim|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KZ0LEAAAQBAJ&q=slow+thought+manifesto+di+nicola&pg=PA60|title=Information Experience in Theory and Design|date=2020-10-01|publisher=Emerald Group Publishing|isbn=978-1-83909-368-5|language=en}}</ref> and [[peacebuilding]] politics.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Sample|first1=Emily|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4IXxDwAAQBAJ&q=slow+thought+manifesto+di+nicola&pg=PA73|title=Building Peace in America|last2=Irvin-Erickson|first2=Douglas|date=2020-08-16|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-5381-4381-0|language=en}}</ref>

"Take your time", the slogan of Slow Thought, cited by Di Nicola,<ref name="Di Nicola" /> is taken from philosopher [[Ludwig Wittgenstein]], himself a slow thinker:

<blockquote> "In a wonderful philosophical lesson that is structured like a joke, Wittgenstein admonished philosophers about rushing their thinking:

Question: 'How does one philosopher address another?'

Answer: 'Take your time.{{' "}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wittgenstein|first=Ludwig|title=Culture and Value|publisher=Basil Blackwell|year=1980|isbn=978-0226904351|location=Oxford, UK|pages=80|translator-last=Winch|translator-first=Peter}}</ref> </blockquote>

=== Time poverty === The principal perspective of the slow movement is to experience life in a fundamentally different way. Adherents believe that the experience of being present leads to what [[Abraham Maslow]] refers to as [[peak experience]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

The International Institute of Not Doing Much<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slowdownnow.org/|title=International Institute of Not Doing Much - Relief from seriousness}}</ref> is a humorous approach to the serious topic of "time poverty", [[incivility]], and [[Workaholic|workaholism]]. The Institute's fictional presence promotes counter-urgency. First created in 2005, SlowDownNow.org is a continually evolving work of art and humor which reports it has over 6,000 members.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

=== Travel ===

''Slow travel'' is an evolving movement that has taken its inspiration from nineteenth-century European [[travel writer]]s, such as [[Théophile Gautier]], who reacted against the cult of speed, prompting some modern analysts to ask, "If we have slow food and slow cities, then why not slow travel?".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hiddeneurope.eu/a-manifesto-for-slow-travel|title=hidden europe | A manifesto for slow travel|first=hidden|last=europe|date=May 3, 2009|website=www.hiddeneurope.eu}}</ref> Other literary and exploration traditions, from early [[Arabs|Arab]] travelers to late nineteenth-century [[Yiddish]] writers, have also identified with slow travel, usually marking its connection with community as its most distinctive feature. Espousing modes of travel that were the norm in some less developed societies became, for some writers and travelers from [[western Europe]] such as [[Isabelle Eberhardt]], a way of engaging more seriously with those societies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hiddeneurope.eu/the-warm-shadow-of-isabelle-eberhardt|title=hidden europe | The warm shadow of Isabelle Eberhardt|first=hidden|last=europe|date=August 4, 2012|website=www.hiddeneurope.eu}}</ref>

Slow travel is not only about traveling from one place to another, it is also about immersing oneself in a destination. It consists of staying in the same place for a while to develop a deep connection with it. Frequenting local places, spending time with locals and discovering their habits and customs can turn a regular trip into a slow travel experience. The key is to take one's time and to let oneself be carried along.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barcelonaslowtravel.com/post/slow-travel|title=Slow Travel Guide: What is Slow Travel & What Are the Benefits?|date=26 August 2025|website=Barcelona SlowTravel|author=Guillermo}}{{subst:Self-published inline}}</ref>

Advocates of slow travel argue that all too often the potential pleasure of the journey is lost by too-eager anticipation of arrival. Slow travel, it is asserted, is a state of mind which allows travelers to engage more fully with communities along their route, often favoring visits to spots enjoyed by local residents rather than merely following guidebooks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slowtraveleurope.eu/slow-travel-europe-some-guiding-principles|title=Slow Travel Europe | Slow Travel Europe: Some Guiding Principles|website=www.slowtraveleurope.eu}}</ref> As such, slow travel shares some common values with [[ecotourism]]. Its advocates and devotees generally look for low-impact travel styles, even to the extent of eschewing flying. The future of Slow Travel is aiming toward reducing [[greenhouse gas emissions]] by reducing car and air travel because the rate we are using planes and cars is not sustainable for our [[Atmosphere of Earth|atmosphere]]. Advocates believe that the combination of [[environmental awareness]] and cost efficient traveling will move people towards Slow Travel.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dickinson |first1=Janet |last2=Lumsdon |first2=Les |title=Slow Travel and Tourism |date=2010 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-84971-113-5 }}</ref>

Aspects of slow travel, including some of the principles detailed in the "Manifesto for Slow Travel",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtraveleurope.eu/data/downloads/hiddeneurope_25_slowtravel.pdf|title=''Slow Travel Europe'' (March 2009), "A Manifesto for Slow Travel"}}</ref> are now increasingly featured in travel writing. The magazine ''Hidden Europe'', which first published the "Manifesto for Slow Travel", has particularly showcased slow travel, featuring articles that focus on unhurried, low-impact journeys, and advocating a stronger engagement with visited communities.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

A new book series launched in May 2010 by [[Bradt Travel Guides]] explicitly espouses slow travel ideas with volumes that focus very much on local communities within a tightly defined area, often advocating the use of [[public transport]] along the way. Titles include ''Bus-pass Britain'', ''Slow Norfolk and Suffolk'', ''Slow Devon and Exmoor'', ''Slow Cotswolds'', ''Slow North Yorkshire'', and ''Slow Sussex and South Downs National Park''.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

== Criticism == Despite its positive intentions, the slow movement faces criticism for its potential [[elitism]] and inaccessibility. Critics argue that the movement's emphasis on artisanal and small-scale production can result in higher costs, making it difficult for individuals with lower incomes to participate. Additionally, some view the movement as overly idealistic and impractical in the context of the fast-paced realities of modern life. There are concerns that it may prioritize personal enjoyment and aesthetic values over addressing broader social and economic issues.<ref name="Schneider2008" />

==See also== * [[African time]] * [[Critique of work]] * [[Degrowth]] * [[Downshifting (lifestyle)]] * [[Durable good]] * [[Patience]] * [[Product tracing]] systems, which allow people to see the source factory of a product * [[Simple living]] * [[Sleep tourism]] * [[Slow architecture]] * [[Slow living]] * [[Universal basic income]] * [[Work-life balance]]

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Slow movement| ]] [[Category:Lifestyle]] [[Category:Self-care]] [[Category:Simple living]] [[Category:1986 introductions]] [[Category:Underground culture]]