In The Culture of Speed: The Coming of Immediacy, the pace of modern life becomes a lens for exploring cultural, social and personal change. This study examines whether acceleration defines our everyday experience and what it reveals about progress and control in advanced societies.
Drawing on historical and contemporary examples, it traces how industrialisation and urbanisation introduced new demands for speed, prompting efforts to regulate the rush of information and activity. As acceleration rebounded against control, debates emerged around the consequences of living at ever-increasing tempos.
In the era of immediacy, media technologies and fast capitalism have intensified this dynamic. The book argues that saturation by digital platforms and instant access shapes consumption, values and our understanding of time itself. Readers gain fresh insight into how speed influences cultural practices, economic structures and moral frameworks.
This incisive, accessible analysis serves as an essential guide for anyone interested in the forces shaping contemporary media culture and social life.
Key Themes:
- Evolution of speed in modern society
- Regulation versus acceleration
- Impact of media and digital immediacy
- Cultural and ethical implications
