Here's to a year of slowing down!

A fascinating article in the Times yesterday offers some predictions as to what 2010 is going to look like in Britain. I particularly enjoyed the first section, titled "Constant partial stupidity", which talks about how "when you're constantly scanning mobile phones and computer screens, your attention is so fragmented that you can't concentrate on one thing." (hey, come back, I haven't finished... c'mon, can't that email wait a minute?...) Richard Watson, a professional adviser on future trends who apparently predicted the credit crunch, says: "Research will confirm that multitasking is a myth, we'll see phrases such as slow media emerge as people realise that if you read things on paper you are more relaxed, you register more, you reflect and see the big picture. This is why paper is not dead and why, while news will be mostly delivered online, serious comment and analysis and novels will largely stay on paper."

Hooray, say I! (yes, yes, you can go back to your Instant Messenger now...)