The Great Acceleration: How the World is Getting Faster, Faster

A revelatory account of how our society is speeding up and why we should embrace the acceleration, The Great Acceleration is a fascinating insight into the science and promise of the modern world from a brilliant new writer.
     Instant messaging. Superfast broadband. High-frequency trading. The world is, undeniably, accelerating. In this revelatory study of modern living, Robert Colvile examines the ways in which the pace of life in our society is increasing and explains the evolutionary science behind our rapidly accelerating need for change -- as well as why it's unlikely we'll be able to slow down... or ever want to.
     As he talks us through the effect of this speed on our minds and bodies, Colvile looks at how, contrary to gloomier predictions, living in a faster age might be beneficial for us, both physically and mentally. In addition to the universe of social media, he studies the opportunities that faster communication and operation could bring to everything from music, film and books to transport, politics and the government -- as well as the shape of the economy and society in a world where to stay behind is to fall behind.
     Comparing the development of cities and villages, advanced economies and underdeveloped countries, The Great Acceleration explains how the positives outnumber the negatives and, if this speeding up is truly inevitable, why we should rush to embrace it.