Back in the 50's & 60's there was a term, "velocitated," which referred to
a tendency to drive quite fast "in town" after you got off a highway.  65
seemed normal, so you're doing 50 in a 30 with no sense that you're speeding.
I think our society is velocitated.  Working hard all day long, then 
driving bumper-to-bumper at 70 mph for a half hour can really wind one up.
I think this hyper-state ruins one's judgement and caution, and that we are
a society out of control.  Compulsive consumers (see "TV & the Automobile").
See also Environment #6- "Economics and Community."  Eighty years ago 80% of
Americans were honest, hard working small farmers.  Today we're all either
hustlers or grossly overpaid union clock punchers.

6 responses total.

There may be something to that.  I suppose I've got it better than many
people, since I don't have a long commute and can do much of my work at
home.  What specifically do velocitated people tend to do?

I don't think I'm velocitated right now, even though I drove 65 (-70?)
home from Alpena today. I'm quite sure I drove (nearly) within the
city speed limits from the freeway to home. But I do not feel out of
control at the moment - just rather tired. However this was not work
related, so perhaps I have not really proved the rule. I have been on
I275 during "rush hour" and I will admit that I had a sense then of
something like chi1taxi is describing - that a lot of them were out to
kill me. I decided that I would diligently avoid an occupation that
called for me to be among that made stampede. 

"Velocitated" is not in the dictionary.  Its strict definition is described 
above.  I am suggesting an extension of the definition to a "wound-up" state
resulting from today's driving environment.  Specific manifistations, I 
cannot name.  The general attribute is a loss of good judgement and patience.

  I was thinking about this, and for a while I was. I used to have a job that
I drove on an average of 100-150 miles per day, at 55-70 mph, and I would
sometimes find myself talking faster than usual, and finding myself a little
more impatient than I usually am.
  Anyone who really does know me, knows that generally, I am the easiest going
person on the planet, but after I got off work, I started paceing at the 
bus stop instead of just sitting down and reading a book.

        I don't have a car and I feel wound (sp?) up most of the time. I think
it's punk/info age thing for me though, and drinking too much coffee -(:>)

  Good point. 

  Is living faster really the answer? Is working 40 hours a week underachiev
ment? I sometimes wish I was living in the 1870's rather than the 1990's
because life was slower back then, No hurry, no computers to live our lives
for us, and much was still undiscovered and new. 

  Of course, we have a modern world that can cure everything except the 
common cold and old age,computers do most of the jobs that were either
too dirty or dangerous to do. 
think about that!!

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