Keller @ Large: Sometimes Slower Is Better

BOSTON (CBS) - Here's a profound question to ponder today -- by reversing progress, could we actually be making progress?

Listen to Jon's commentary:

I'm talking about the decision of the Big Y supermarket chain to eliminate its self-serve checkout lanes.

It seems that the devices weren't speeding things along because of payment and coupon-scanning problems, and the entire experience was inconsistent with the market's emphasis on customer service.

A spokeswoman for the company told ABC News: "We found it wasn't saving time because customers were waiting for an attendant to take care of their problem."

How about that?

In an era where so many things that once required human interaction are now an exchange between human and machine, it turns out that for some people at least, dealing with another human is preferable, and speed isn't everything.

This is not the first time I've noticed this evolution in cultural attitudes.

There's a global organization called "Slow Food" with more than 100,000 members devoted to, by it's own description, countering "the rise of fast food and fast life."

The Slow Food movement has in turn given rise to the "Slow Living" movement, described as "taking the time required to fully engage with an activity and to savor life, nature, people, and place" by putting "a greater value on enjoying life and psychological well-being."

Sounds good, doesn't it?

They apparently know all about this in the sports world.

I heard Dustin Pedroia the other day describing how he tried to steady a shaky reliever on the mound recently by telling him to just "slow everything down."

How many times in your life have you wished you could do the same in order to prolong the real pleasures in life -- your kids' childhood, your first love, summertime?

And wouldn't it be great if the slow movement infiltrated our local driving habits, just a little bit?

OK, buying groceries isn't quite as wonderful as a day at the beach or your baby's first steps.

But outside of a trip to the dentist, a political speech, and February, how many things in life do we really want to rush through anyway?

No, put me down as a supporter of the slow movement.

And hurry it up, will ya?

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.