Hit The Brakes Summary

Summary of Hit the Brakes
The story begins with an account by Christopher DeWolf on his Montreal balcony observing his neighborhood. He introduces the concept of “the proverbial rat race” and his distaste for being subjected to life restricted to work. He describes his ideals as being aligned with the slow movement, a concept that is quickly becoming conventional. Carl Honoré is described as author with a considerable impact in this field due to his book In Praise of Slow: How a Worldwide Movement Is Challenging the Cult of Speed. According to Honoré, slow is not only the opposite of fast, but it also means balance or tempo giusto, a term musicians use for the right speed. The slow lifestyle provides sustainability in economic, social and environmental aspects. DeWolf explains his distaste for the workaholic
Next are examples of the slow lifestyle, including Montreal ideals, the Work Less Party and the Avenue Verte community. First, English-Canadians often cite the “relaxed lifestyle” as a major reason for choosing to live in Montreal and the average Montrealer spends 8 hours per week on their balconies. Second, The Work Less Party is a provincial party in British Columbia that spreads the message of “Workers of the World- Relax!” through events such as road-hockey tournaments on major streets, “sleep-ins” at the legislature and a literal rat race in a course that resembles a corporate labyrinth. The founder, Conrad Schmidt, and members of the party have a similar background of working excessively and after decreasing their workweek are able to be more involved in their communities. DeWolf reinforces that the slow lifestyle is not simply being lazy but it is concerned with being more efficient. Research by Mary Lee at McGill University found that decreasing workweeks gave workers an extra seventeen hours but did not negatively impact their careers. Third, many people choose to get involved in their community with the extra time