Mindful media unsettles the assumption that fast is good and slow is bad. Our default mode for using media has become what David Levy calls “more-faster-better,” a lopsided habit that is not desirable or sustainable. Sometimes less is more; sometimes slower is better.
In the tech realm, people tend to associate slowness with infirmity or incompetence and speed with high energy or performance, according to Alex Pang. But in the human realm, slowness is often a sign of skill, mastery, and experience.
As we move toward a mindful culture, the bias toward “more-faster-better” remains an obstacle. Talking about Slow Media creates an opportunity for reflecting on and challenging our assumptions about the relationship between technology, society, and the planet. Mindful media advocates share a commitment to techniques like breathing, monotasking, slowing down, stopping, and even unplugging.