Description

In the eighties, greed was good. In the noughties, speed is often the alter at which we are urged to worship. Popular media is obsessed with the idea of 'now, now, now' and 'next, next, next' and, caught up in this sentiment, it seems our lives can't help but be tuned to the pursuit of 'fast'.

At work, we labour under the demands of time, or rather, no time: we have to get the report into the boss by Friday, be up the freeway by 6pm or at lunch by 1pm sharp. At home we often find little time to 'relax' beyond television or computer games, and sate our hunger with 'convenience' foods.

Whether it's urbanisation, consumerism, technology or globalisation, the truth is everything has become a race to the finish line - with a price. In Sydney, the toll of busyness is everywhere.

Yet, encouragingly, there is growing conviction that life should be more than a rush from A to B. That we should savour the sounds and sights of the environment and culture in which we find ourselves. That our food should be organic and lovingly prepared; that our exercise should involve nature and long slow strolls; that our entertainment and commerce should embrace genuine interaction with other members of our community; and that rather than our lives being ruled by the clocks on our gadgets, the seasons should at least play a role in guiding the rhythm of our lives.