I watch TV commentary a lot. I go to Starbucks most mornings. I talk to millennials. One thing I’ve noticed that these experiences have in common? Everything runs at high speed today.Technology has been defining. Of our culture, all the increased productivity we benefit from. Good! But the speed of life? Most times I make an effort to slow things down. Mostly without success.I just finished watching two young lady guests on a popular TV show. Attractive, intelligent. Eloquent too … I think. The problem was … they were talking so fast I couldn’t process what they were saying … at warp speed. 5G I think. So prevalent with the younger generations. So reflective of the only world they have known. A world spinning fast. A world consumed that thrives on speed.
But yes … this is consistent with the speed technology has wrought. Aren’t we compelled to do every thing faster? Like our iPhones, computers … getting coffee at Starbucks?! Think about it. Cars on the highway. Refunds from Amazon. FedEx. Even sex! (Sorry about that one.) Our lives for the most part have no governor. We need to be in the mix. Prepared to operate at high speed … everywhere, always. Or fall behind. Survive even.“Real quick” Let me check. “real quick.” I’ll go get one for you. “Real quick.” This applies to most transactions we get involved in. “Real quick” has become a mantra for those providing services today. If it’s not “real quick” … they might not come back. Because maybe with less quality, but not showing up “real quick” the customer will move on. Not do business with you.
Then there’s “Like” … “like.” Because we’re human. There’s the word “like.” Sometimes the quick talkers? Even they need to take a breathe every once in awhile. Thank God for the word “like.” Like you know. I think… “like.” Exhausting … annoying.I don’t have an antidote for this. Even if I did I doubt I’d find few who would go with it … even understand why it was needed.
It’s kinda like the two young fish swimming in a turbulent sea. They pass an older fish who calls out to them. “Be careful of the water today!” The two younger fish look at each other puzzled, “What’s water?” “What’s all this fuss about speed?” Our young people may ask. “Why is everybody so concerned about how fast our national debt is climbing?!” “What’s speed?” We’re so immersed in our speeding world, it’s like “white noise.” imperceptible. Like the fish. “What’s speed?” We have lost cognizance of it.
There is hope. Prayer, meditation, yoga, family dinners seem all to be on the rise. The pendulum of life always seems to move from one extreme to another. As speed swings to one extreme … things show up that gradually slow the pace. Influence us to live more in balance. I’ve tried, practice all of the above. Although I must admit … herding seven members of my immediate family for a family dinner? No success. Yet.