Tuesday, June 03, 2003

SLOW CITY MOVEMENT SPRINGING UP IN ITALY A while ago I heard about the Slow Food Movement, an Italian idea in direct opposition to the concept of fast foods. Well, New Perspectives Quarterly reports that there's a Slow City Movement, "a program of civilized harmony and active peace founded on the serenity of everyday life to bring together towns and cities, large and small, which share common features and move in this direction," also springing from Italy: "Towns and cities brought to life by people 'keen on time refound.' Towns and cities packed with squares, theaters, workshops, cafés, restaurants, places of worship, uncontaminated landscapes and the pliers of fascinating crafts. Towns and cities in which man still recognizes the slow, beneficial succession of the seasons, the wholesomeness of tasty, healthy produce, the spontaneity of natural rites, the cult of living tradition and the joy of slow, quiet, reflective living." It just sounds too good to ever work here. It's work harder, work longer, work faster, and get paid less. That's the American Way in this New Century. But after all, we are Professionals. File under Working Stiff Stuff. 12:33:32 AM    Go ahead, make my day  []