The discovery of the digital tardiness (and my new nom-de-plume, Jennifer Smoke)

The German public radio network, ZDF, ran this great snail photo with its recent story about Slow Media, which follows below (as translated by Babel Fish).

On-line Filmer Kirby Ferguson wanted to deslag – mentally. Thus he did
not meals or alcohol, but without speed in the Internet. Slow Media is
called the movement from the USA, which sloshes now also to Germany.

The rules are clear: In the Internet surf is forbidden – exactly the
same as blog, News feeds, television YouTube, DVDs and Twitter. The
computer use and the multitasking are reduced. Maximally 30 minutes
private emails per day are permitted. Okay is " everything that ist" on
paper; , as well as radio, Podcasts, cinema. And a Hintertürchen gives
it: A daily Blog and Facebook update are permitted.

Ferguson brakes

It is an experiment, which Kirby Ferguson at the beginning of the yearly places itself. On-line
Filmer made of New York is " Digitally Native". He says of itself: "
Most of all I make everything gleichzeitig."

Facebook, Twitter, a blog,
YouTube, RSS feed – Ferguson goes through everywhere. And as like that
is in a Blog Facebook Nabelschauwelt: He observes himself thereby. And
it states that its concentration frays that its thoughts constantly fly
away to him.

Ferguson decides to brake. For one month it orders itself a Slow Media
diet. " It does not concern thereby Technologien" if he explains, "
separate around Geschwindigkeit." Therefore for example audio Podcasts
are permitted and RSS feed taboo. And Ferguson got, which he wanted.
After one month it draws balance: " I am already geworden" after few
days more calmly; , it tells. " And I do not believe that I mean old
habits will again take up. With the Twittern I to stop completely, that
was not missing to me at all. With web pages and blog am more attentive
I, rather invest more time into really good Sachen."

Inspired by Slow Food:
Less speed, more quality

That is the Credo of the Slow Media movement.
As Slow Food supporters take themselves more time, in order to cook
better meals, Slow Media Aktivisten the speed of their medium
consumption throttle – for better communication. The debate over it
runs on-line ones – in blog or at the Slow Media Facebook group. In addition, it reached the
universities.

Jennifer Smoke is assistant professor to the Long Iceland University in Brooklyn.
Experiments for slow medium use and to the medial chamfered are a firm
component of their work. " My students are so strongly digitally
interlaced. If they only one hour must do without on-line media, they
are afraid of missing somewhat. And they forgot, with boredom
umzugehen" , it says. For the medium course the students must do for
one day without Internet or mobile phone and note their experiences. "
Not all create das" , smoke tells, " if they hold on however, they
place often astonished firmly that them do not haben." nothing at all
missed;

The German theory

Such experimental, playful entrances to Slow Media are still rare in
Germany. Here the movement is top-heavier. Benedikt Köhler, Sabria
David and Jörg Blumtritt " in the net; Slow Media Manifest" (More
externally left – opens in new window) in 14 points publishes. Its
philosophy one " Manufactum in the Internet" is rather fast as "
diffus" , " realitätsfern" and " reaktionär" criticized. Jörg Blumtritt
explains itself also with the fact that Slow Media between the fronts
stands: " There are on-line defenders and on-line Verteufler. It finds
the one that the world at the Internet is to genesen. The others see
the fall of the journalism in the Internet. We try a synthesis. We want
well made on-line contents, which grow over the years and maintained
werden."

Momentarily the authors of the Slow Media communist manifesto work on a
kind catalog, in which they collect contents, which correspond to their
conception of Slow Media. The list already shows, as difficult it is to
determine exactly what the new, slow media to be is. And nevertheless
Jörg Blumtritt believes that Slow Media will win in the coming years at
meaning: " That is as with Öko Essen" , it says, " there one can also
not exactly say, is a niche or is it a movement. But it changed our
attitude to the meal. So also Slow Media would know a large thing
werden."

–By Sophie Burkhardt of ZDF