Countering Cultures of Speed
In the U.S. as well as in other urban spaces of the global North a majority of people describe themselves as “overworked,” “over-scheduled,” or “stressed out.” According to the author William Powers, this assessment is linked to a dominant culture of speed associated with the prevalence of an ideology of economic growth. In his most recent book New Slow City: Living Simply in the World’s Fastest City, Powers investigates the possibility of counteracting this “fast” culture by finding profound happiness through living sustainably with a light ecological footprint. In his latest research, Powers finds inspiration for his efforts in the eco-municipalities of Bolivia, relying on notions of post-development as foundational to delivering human well-being and biodiversity. Powers will highlight the potentials and challenges of living slowly in a vibrant city such as New York, and he will inquire into the possibility of learning from societies built on concepts such as de-growth and Buen Vivir.

Referent: William Powers is an award-winning author and Senior Fellow at the World Policy Institute (NYC) and adjunct faculty member at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. Currently he leads the Bolivia-based Living Well Cooperative (LWC), a project conceived of in the spirit of Buen Vivir.

Moderation: Elena Torres Ruiz

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