Accelerating a single skilled action is not the same as living faster

Evidence

In many cases the shortening of episodes of action is directly connected to the introduction of new techniques, that is, with technical acceleration. When, for instance, a long-distance runner covers a ten-thousand-meter distance in a shorter time because of the development of new breathing and running techniques, then according to the definitions so far developed it seems to be a form of technical acceleration (i.e., the intentional acceleration of a goal-directed process through the utilization of a new technique) as well as a phenomenon of accelerated life tempo (i.e., the acceleration of an episode of action). The latter definition, however, appears to be counterintuitive in the context of this example, if not absolutely absurd: to interpret the improvement of running time as a heightening of the pace of life is more a light-hearted jest than an enlightening academic (non-)achievement. This indicates that, first, one must proceed with caution when defining action episodes: not the run itself but rather participation in the entire corresponding event should be understood as a completed episode of action. Episodes are not just determined through one’s own activity but also through the given context. The shortening of track and field competitions from six to four hours, for example, by running the hammer throw and the long-distance run at the same time, would in fact constitute an example of the heightening of the tempo of life. Second, however, this example makes clear that the shortening of particular episodes of experience or action taken by itself does not suffice to verify an acceleration of the pace of life: the freeing up of time resources (through technological acceleration or by foregoing activities) per se, i.e., without new commitments, is in fact an indicator of an abatement of the tempo of life, as I have shown. Only the increase of action episodes per unit of time (e.g., day, week, or year) satisfies the definition given. That requires, to stick with our example, that our runner uses the gain in time to, say, get to the cinema earlier, which could then indeed be interpreted as a heightening of the pace of life. — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 267

Categorization

• DEFINE: Precisely distinguishes technical acceleration (shortening a goal-directed process) from true tempo-of-life acceleration (more action episodes per unit of time), resolving an apparent overlap.
• CANDY: The runner-getting-to-the-cinema example is a compact, tweetable way to explain the difference between going faster at one thing and living faster overall.
• XREF: connects to: Technical speed-up differs categorically from the acceleration of society proper — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 261; Faster action can decelerate life only if freed time becomes rest. — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 353

Broader Connections

• Technical speed-up differs categorically from the acceleration of society proper #qualifies (0.85) — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 261
• Faster action can decelerate life only if freed time becomes rest. #expands (0.80) — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 353