A theory of social acceleration must unify heterogeneous phenomena across unrelated social domains

Evidence

In view of the notorious lack of clarity regarding the concept of acceleration in the contemporary social science literature, the introduction of an analytically adequate and empirically useful definition of acceleration stands first and foremost as a desideratum for any social theory. Of course, one problem that immediately arises is that there are quite heterogeneous acceleration phenomena in different areas of society that are both difficult to bring together under a single concept and at first glance not clearly connected to one another. For instance, what do the following facts have to do with each other: that speed records in sports are broken with increasing regularity (which can partly be traced to improved technology, partly to more precise measurement of minuscule time intervals); that new computer models increase their processing speed every couple of months; that in modern Western societies the average time spent sleeping and eating seems to steadily decrease while, on average (statistically), change of intimate partners, place of residence, and membership in civil society associations as well as fashion and product cycles occur faster and faster? — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 225

Categorization

• XREF: Sets up the typology of acceleration that later chapters develop — connects to Rosa’s three forms (technological, social change, pace of life). — connects to: Social theory lacks any systematic theory of acceleration unlike other modernization tendencies — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 209; Nested social systems change at speeds their internal structures cannot match — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 212; Understanding social acceleration requires mapping what resists it — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 269 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Full autonomy of social levels cannot capture a social formation’s complex unity #corroborates (0.78)
• Social acceleration splits into technical acceleration and social rates of change #qualifies (0.75) — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 227
• Understanding social acceleration requires mapping what resists it #expands (0.72) — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 269