by Pamela Sosnowski

Created on: July 10, 2009

During the past few days while driving I was tailgated relentlessly three times and cut off once, despite the fact that I was driving at or slightly above the speed limit in all incidences. I am increasingly amazed at the rudeness, disregard for the safety of others, and impatience of people who seem to all be competing in an invisible race - as if there's a cash prize and a trophy waiting for them at their destinations. And it isn't just on the roads where this need for speed is ruining it for everybody.

Life in the 21st century operates at a frantic pace. Our communications technology ensures that instant gratification isn't a privilege; it's a given, as high-speed Internet connections means we can text a friend, send a Tweet, or update our Facebook status in a flash. Children are being raised in a constant state of motion as they are lugged endlessly to school, doctor's appointments, and sports practice. For most people, daily life operates on a monotonous cycle of work, deadlines, errands, making dinner, and (usually) very little sleep. When they wake up the next morning, the same routine plays out again. And the next day, and the day after that, until something - usually stress - finally causes them to reach their breaking point.

Chalk it up to demanding work schedules, inflated egos, or a need to compete against the Joneses: whatever the reason, the world is definitely operating on warp speed - and could very well be headed towards a crash. Here are three major reasons why we need to hurry up and slow down:

IT ISN'T GOOD FOR US
If you think that humans can adapt or have adapted to this kind of modern lifestyle, think again: stress, depression, obesity, and sleep deprivation are running rampant in the United States, and ruining our lives. We are overworked and under rested, and have brought it upon ourselves by trying to cram too much into a day that is - the last time I checked - still only 24 hours long.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow noticed the difference in lifestyle while spending time in Spain, compared to the U.S. In a July 2009 interview with the Associated Press, she said of Spain, "The way people live over there - they seem to enjoy life a little bit more. They aren't running around as much as in New York. They enjoy time with the family. They don't always have their Blackberries on." Of course, it's difficult for many Americans to enjoy more time with their families considering that vacation time for U.S. workers is downright puny compared to other

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