We travel more quickly, we communicate more quickly and we produce goods more quickly than ever before. The actuality and the relevance of this topic could not only be seen in the huge number of visitors and the lively discussions throughout the lectures, but also by the diversity of areas discussed within Rosa’s theoretical framework of “Social Acceleration”.Įverything around us is picking up speed. In this regard, the question was raised if a post-growth society, in which growth is possible but not necessary, might be a possible alternative. Students asked if developed countries shall wait for catching-up countries in order to counteract one of the acceleration`s root cause: competition. According Rosa, China’s philosophy might be a source for approaches that help to handle social acceleration and to counteract the alienation with the environment nowadays.Īt the Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), Rosa discussed together with over 150 students the implications of these accelerations on the economy. During a workshop at Tongji University, scholars of China’s philosophy pointed out, that resonance relationships used to play an important role in the Chinese cultural history. Resonances therefore lay the foundation for a lucky and satisfactory life, especially in times of social acceleration. We as human beings are inherently focusing on relationships and wish to engage in an exchange with the world and to be connected with the places, persons and objects around us. Rosa´s key to the solution is called “resonance”. To simply decelerate is not considered to be an adequate solution since it is not possible to regard time as an isolated factor. You don´t get the possibility to build up a kind of relationship to it.” Nowadays, you change your computer every few years. “I named my first computer Aristoteles as I thought it would assist me as a partner for a long time. Consequently, the time would be missing to get into contact with and to build up close relationships: This would lead to an increasing alienation with the own environment. But especially since the 1990ies the pace of life accelerated by a multiple due to Shanghai`s rise to one of the most significant financial and business metropolis in Asia.”īut how can the individual face this acceleration and perplexity within in daily life? According to Professor Rosa, one runs into danger to be carried away by this acceleration. “Being the port to the world, Shanghai was always one of the most dynamic cities of China. He found support by a Chinese professor during an event at the Shanghai Academy for Social Science (SASS): Professor Hartmut Rosa sees his theory confirmed in China – in an unknown dimension. Perplexity and fast pace as well as permanent reactions and adaptions to the new circumstances shape the daily life. This affects especially the urban population of Shanghai and other big cities. Even though efforts on a higher degree of sustainability and balance increase, the impact on the social life is not negligible anymore. But the negative consequences of this “turbo-capitalism” are becoming more and more visible. All different spheres of life have been caught up by this growth imperative. Due to the implementation of the reform- and open-door policy in 1978, the country was shaped by continuous double-digit growth-rates. In China, this phenomenon has an extremely strong presence.