The Barcelona Debate
Accelerated Lives
Lecture by Hartmut Rosa
Debate
The German sociologist Hartmut Rosa gives a lecture about “social acceleration” which, in his view, is the cause of the four great crises we presently face: the ecological crisis, the financial crisis, the crisis of political representation and high levels of dissatisfaction and exhaustion.
Is it true that clocks are ticking faster than ever? Why do we have the feeling that our lives have speeded up? According to the sociologist Hartmut Rosa, the “more, newer and faster” imperative is crucial for our society. The constant demand for material growth, dynamism, productivity and novelty is leading to what Rosa calls “social acceleration” which, in his view, is the cause of the four great crises we presently face: the ecological crisis, the financial crisis, the crisis of political representation and high levels of dissatisfaction and exhaustion. How much velocity can we bear?
Hartmut Rosa, Professor of Philosophy at the Institute of Sociology at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena and director of the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt, Germany, has recently published Social Acceleration: A New Theory of Modernity (Columbia University Press, 2015).
Presented by: Daniel Gamper, lecturer in Philosophy at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Presenters: Daniel Gamper
Participants: Hartmut Rosa
This activity is part of Our Time, The Barcelona Debate
Related contents
Hartmut Rosa
Accelerated Lives
The German sociologist Hartmut Rosa gives a lecture about “social acceleration” which, in his view, is the cause of the four great crises we presently face: the ecological crisis, the financial crisis, the crisis of political representation and high levels of dissatisfaction and exhaustion.
