On the weekend, some shops were open until 1pm but on Sunday everything was closed except the movie theatres. My hometown had three movie theatres that showed movies every day of the week, and a coffee shop that was also open on Sundays. At that time, people like me in my hometown looked forward to visiting Stockholm or Gothenburg a few times a year, which had a more things to do. To be honest, it was a bit slow in my hometown sometimes, especially on Sundays. 

Did we suffer at all? No! Absolutely not. We met with friends and family and talked to each other instead of sitting in front of a computer or hooked to a mobile phone for days on end. Today, the pace of life and the never ending selection of things to keep us entertained has made the heart rate rise for many of us, both with regards to society and physiologically. Now that I have passed 60, and perhaps do not have quite the same stress tolerance as a couple of decades ago, it happens that I sometimes long to return to that calmer pace in my old hometown where we had time to live.

In recent years, the pace of life has increased a little extra for most people. The pandemic, the worst since the Spanish flu in the 1920s, was definitely a pulse pounding event which led to the death of over seven million people worldwide. Then the war in Ukraine broke out, and now, most recently, the conflict in Gaza, which has claimed far too many innocent lives. One innocent death is too many, and with situation in Gaza raising the pulse to uncomfortable levels, above all, for the people of Gaza.

As usual, one politician after another makes a fool of themselves. The worst one is Putin, of course, but it is quite surprising that former US President, Donald Trump, is now convicted of crimes on more than 30 counts, and despite this, he is allowed to stand in the elections in the fall. A choice that will also be a pulse raiser, not just for the people of America, but the whole world. Other current elections that will soon occur including the UK where the Conservative Party is expected to lose by a significant degree. 

The examples that make our blood rush faster and faster in our veins are many. How, and when, should we start slowing down? This is above all a public health problem, but when will we realise that? Our young people today, at least to a large extent in Sweden, are suffering. Many youngsters are diagnosed with problems and fortunately often receive treatment. I wonder if this happened before the pace of life increased. With different diagnoses, the risk of being ostracised and ending up in with the wrong people increases. I'm not saying it has to be like that, absolutely not, but at the rate society is going today, we fail time and time again to take care of each other, treat each other the right way and, in short, see each other as human beings. Individualism is an attitude which far too many relate and place great value on, even if it is for many unhealthy. 

It will take a major effort for our lifestyle to change so that people in general start to feel better again, but should humanity really have to run into a wall before that can happen? I apologise if it might seem like I'm painting an overly pessimistic scenario now that we in the northern hemisphere finally have summer and some warmth, but you can't turn a blind eye to reality and what is really happening.

Jan Hermansson
Editor-in-Chief
jan.hermansson@pdworld.com