Speed: Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster--And Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down

236 Pages·2014·1.52 MB·English

by  Stephanie Brown Ph.D

Most Berkley Books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions,
premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit
specific needs. For details, write: [email protected].
SPEED
Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster—and
Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down
STEPHANIE BROWN, PhD
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) LLC
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China penguin.com
A Penguin Random House Company This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.
Copyright © 2014 by Stephanie Brown, PhD.
Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture.
Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or
distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish
books for every reader.
BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.
eBook ISBN 978-1-10160828-9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Brown, Stephanie, (date– )
Speed : facing our addiction to fast and faster—and overcoming our fear of slowing down / Stephanie Brown.
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-425-26473-7 (pbk.)
1. Compulsive behavior. 2. Speed—Psychological aspects. 3. Technological innovations—Psychological aspects. 4. Progress—
Psychological aspects. 5. Change (Psychology). 6. Slow life movement. I. Title.
RC533.B756 2014
616.85'84—dc23
2013032750
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Berkley trade paperback edition / January 2014
Cover image: Abstract blue © Style_TTT / Shutterstock.
Cover design by Diana Kolsky.
Text design by Tiffany Estreicher.
While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither
the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, publisher does
not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Version_1
For Haddie and Cammie:
May you always savor the joys of quiet time in a slow-enough world
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you. Thank you to so many colleagues, friends, clients, and family for
years of support on this massive project. In contrast to the subject of Speed—this
crazy, fast pace of life so many of us now think of as normal—the conception,
writing, and revising of this book have gone on and on for many years. This
book has been SLOW to find itself, and I trust it will be better for it.
The idea of a culture out of control needed time to develop. People heard it,
began to read about it, and to watch themselves. More and more joined me in
support. Three made this book happen. First, writer Joan O’C. Hamilton has
given me hands-on help with editing, support, and advice through a long,
difficult process. Networker extraordinaire, she connected me with agent Jillian
Manus, who believed in the idea and the book. She found Denise Silvestro at
Penguin, who agreed: speed is a serious problem that isn’t going away. Denise
has given me a tutorial in popular writing, for which I am grateful, as well as
unquestioning support for the idea of cultural speed as an addiction, and the
process of recovery as a model for societal change.
Many others offered direct help and sustaining support. With great skill,
Yvonne Pearson worked closely with me on the first draft of the manuscript,
taking my leave-nothing-out first pass and trimming it down to cohesive,
submission-ready form.
Next came friends who read the manuscript and/or offered support from
early on. Barbara Tyler, Anne Hillman, Paul Goldstein, Laurel Leone, JoAnn
Stultz, Gloria Van Bree, and Dave Mandelbrot seemed to never tire of the saga
of Speed, and offered wise advice about the book and publishing.
My Addiction Institute associates offered the same endless support, always
asking, “What about Speed?” Long-standing colleagues Tom Gorham and
Patrick MacAfee offered me speaking opportunities early on, as did Santa Clara
University, while cheerleaders Cathy Calliotte, Ed and Esther Bourg, Lenora
Yuen and John Peters, Thomas and Kären Nagy, Cynthia Scheutz and Jim
Perkins, Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson, Barbara and Ric Almond, and Joyce
Schmid never lagged in spirit. Mary Jaiswal, Alison Reichenthal, William
Reichenthal, Courtney Hughes, and Irene McGhee gave great examples.
Computer guru Jon Wu jumps in to save the day.
My childhood friends Robin, Linda, and Patricia have followed the writing
for years. It’s safe to say everyone will be glad to see Speed finally arrive!
Last, but always first, I thank my husband, Bob Harris, for his support,
examples, and humor; our daughter Makenzie; son-in-law Anthony; and our
granddaughters, Campbell and Hadley, who have filled our lives with love,
meaning, and purpose, ever reminding us that our cherished bonds grow deeper
as we slow down, listen, and talk together.
Stephanie Brown
August 2013
CONTENTS
PART 1 SPEED: A CULTURAL ADDICTION TO A FAST PACE OF LIFE
Prologue
1. A Chance Encounter
2. The Evolution of the Idea of Speed
3. Addiction to Speed
4. Behaving Like an Addict
5. The Feelings of an Addict
6. Thinking Like an Addict
7. Reaching the End of the Line
PART 2 RECOVERING FROM A LIFESTYLE OF SPEED
8. Stepping Off the Rat’s Wheel
9. A Model for Transformational Change
10. Getting Ready for Change
11. Finding Help: The Beginnings of Recovery Development
12. Changing Behavior
13. Feeling Emotion
14. New Ways of Thinking
15. Living a New Kind of Life
Notes
Bibliography
PART 1
Speed: A Cultural Addiction to
a Fast Pace of Life