The term slowdown is from 1892. The term slow is from the Old English slaw "inactive, sluggish, torpid, lazy," also "not clever," from Proto-Germanic *slæwaz (source also of Old Saxon sleu "blunt, dull," Middle Dutch slee, Dutch sleeuw "sour, tart, blunt," Old High German sleo "blunt, dull," Old Norse sljor, Danish sløv, Swedish slö "blunt, dull"). Meaning "taking a long time" is attested from early 13c. 

Is there a slowdown because we are not clever? Are we not thinking enough? Are we looking for solutions as society and the world changes? Nature changes daily. Do we change daily to accomodate the societal and cultural changes? Let's not be sluggish. 

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Far beyond yourself, a moment of extension, breathe into new life