TheWorldJournal.com

Relax or You're Busted
By Jean-Francois Numainville, TheWorldJournal.com

"The Slow movement" is a lobbying group that advocates a more peaceful way of life as the answer to the numerous problems that the classic citizen has to face. The preoccupations put forward by that assembly found an echo in Italy, where many cities took them into consideration so that the standard life of most people is now far more harmonious than what it used to be. In deed, a day in a big urban environment brings its share of stress: Crowds of total strangers are surrounding you whether you're taking public transportation, walking on the street, driving your car, etc. And that's before the workday has even begun. The rest of the day is spent desperately hoping for the next break to come to finally stop the constant stream of information and work that is coming at you. After it is all over, little time is reserved to leisure because tomorrow, it's all starting over again. But the country that invented "la dolce vita" is now the precursor of a more enjoyable and livable style: The City Speed Limit.

The Italians figure out that there is no need to rush; you have to start at the right moment. So, the mentioned 32 cities endorsed a manifesto claiming that all unnecessary source of stress are illegal: such things as loud music, Supermarket, neon signs, mass advertisement and even cars were banned from inside the city limits. Also, small businesses are granted the fiscal advantages in order to gradually transform the economy of the slow cities. Moreover, the administrations of those particular villages are focusing on suggesting healthier eating habits to its citizens by providing subsidies to grocery stores providing "biologic" food (non modified food). Schools are also involved in the scheme where children are taught that is ok to go out and make is way in life in a typical urban environment, but that overstressing about their professional life is the best way to neglect something way more important: Real Life.

The concept, which could seem awkward to a whole lot of people, is very successful: Cities that adopted the motto of the Slow Movement have seen their population growing, and many tourists are coming to enjoy a state of relaxation that they should have long taken advantage of. Even the youth is adopting the new style: They enjoy and respect the way of living, and those who are leaving town for work or for studies are all eager to come back to that unique environment. Italy is also the home of the "Mediterranean Style" as well, which is a form of alimentation and living style, and it attracts the attention of many due the exceptionally long lifespan of the people who've adopted it.

Yet, even if those examples of alternative way of living are franc success in Italy, it remains unlikely that they will extend to the rest of the western world. In fact, American is the people above all the other that have the highest average of work hours in a week. Also in most European and American culture "being slow" is a synonym of "being strange" and even "being stupid".

It is sad to see that people are now so absorbed by their professional interests that they forget to take care of themselves. Such things as self-help books, TV shows and magazines about living and even this article would be irrelevant if people would begin to think a little more about their good being.

© January 25, 2003

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