Are we entering a Slowing Down Economy? That’s a phrase I’ve been using for a theory I’ve been mildly obsessed with: that after years of hustleporn, algorithmic addiction, doomscrolling, productivity-maxxing and always-on everything, many of us are looking for ways to slow down. Think board game nights, physical books, digital detoxes, slow travel, meditation, Cubbon Park reading sessions, vinyl collections, using fountain pens, and being OK with boredom. But is that actually an economy? Is it a movement? Is it just urban fatigue of the privileged colliding with common sense? Luckily, I had the right person to poke holes in this theory and potentially, my ego. Praveen Gopal Krishnan or PGK - is the COO of business publication The Ken, where he is also a writer. He is one of my favourite people to think aloud with, except this time we’re doing it with a podcast mic rather than over craft beer. He has a lovely way of connecting consumer behaviour, technology, history, business models, incentives, and whatever strange thing society seems to be doing next. PGK and I get into why slowing down may be less a new trend and more a recurring human counter-movement, why technology has made disconnection harder by tying itself to economic activity, and why the most interesting “slow” spaces may be the ones with no obvious agenda. We also talk about dumb phones, Vipassana, Cubbon Park, fake communities, AI summaries, Instagram deactivation, and why you only remember things you actually feel. His ability to de-bullshittify press releases and growth charts - while being an active participant in my theorised ‘economy’ - would make him the right person to have this chat with. My original notes on the Slowing Down Economy: https://thingsofinternet.substack.com/p/an-era-of-slowing-down-is-coming https://thingsofinternet.substack.com/p/5-characteristics-of-the-slowing PGK on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Articles on The Ken The Ken: https://the-ken.com A past interview I did with Praveen, where we spoke about journalism as a product: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQSDW3CYw34 == Say hello to your host! Deepak Gopalakrishnan aka Chuck Email: chuck@chuckofalltrades.in Instagram: instagram.com/chuckofalltrades LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckofalltrades/ Credits Logo & visuals: Mihir Lele Music: Composed by Berty Ashley, performed by Vikram Vivekanand & Vinay Ramakrishnan Production: Abbas Momin Editing: Ziger Shaikh
