Slow Internet Movement: A Social Intervention Kit for Real Life
Jesse Gibbons
The rapid speed of technology is changing the way we communicate. Attempts to analyze this technology have become difficult due to the rate of its development. The objective of this project is to emphasize that there is true meaning in slow communication that has been lost in fast communication. Relationships and social skills are developed through human connections; these connections are far too valuable to be thrown overboard in an attempt to gain more speed.
This interactive performance art piece presents a social emergency alongside a physical aid where the audience is expected to explore and analyze. The social emergency consists of a live performance depicting a real life situation. The physical aid is a social intervention kit for real life to counterbalance the accelerated pace of communications and bring the slow Internet movement to life; the only technology needed is you.
Farmer and activist Jose Bove drove his tractor into a McDonalds in 1999 to raise awareness about McDonalds use of hormone-treated beef. It took us more then 30 years to realize that fast food is bad for our bodies, is it then not plausible that fast communication may be harmful to social skills or more importantly our relationships? It is important for my generation or "the 1st generation Facebook users", to be able to critically analyze these types of tools so that we can be in control and know why and when to use them. I am afraid that people do not laugh out loud anymore. Important meaning is lost in an effort to make it easy or fast. There is a balance in speed versus meaning that we must become aware of. Why and when is fast better then slow?