Feiler Faster Thesis
Encyclopedia
The Feiler Faster Thesis (or FFT) is a thesis
, or supported argument, in modern journalism
that suggests that the increasing pace of society is matched by (and perhaps driven by) journalists' ability to report events and the public's desire for more information.
and first defined by Mickey Kaus
in a February 24, 2000 Kausfiles blog
post and Slate
online magazine article, "Faster Politics: 'Momentum' ain't what it used to be." Only in a later article on March 9, 2000 did Kaus give the theory the name "Feiler Faster Thesis."
In the original article, Kaus describes two trends: the speeding up of the news cycle and the compression of the schedule of primaries
for the 2000 U.S. general election. Kaus wrote: "Feiler's point is that we should put these two trends together--and that when we do, Trend 1 considerably softens the impact of Trend 2." Kaus uses the observation to reassess the concept of momentum
in politics, suggesting that there are now simply more opportunities for turns of fortune and that voters are able, for the most part, to keep up.
's 1999 book Faster, which makes the argument that the pace of Western society
, and American society in particular, has increased and that "a compression of time characterizes the life of the century now closing." Gleick documents the ways technology speeds up work and the time people spend doing various tasks, including sleeping. He points out that "we have learned to keep efficiency in mind as a goal, which means that we drive ourselves hard." Gleick's key observation is that "some of us say we want to save time when really we just want to do more."
The thesis is sometimes misinterpreted as merely describing the shortening of the news cycle, which is actually covered as part of Gleick's original observations. Kaus recognized the difference in a 2005 posting: "The FFT, remember, doesn't say that information moves with breathtaking speed these days. (Everyone knows that!) The FFT says that people are comfortable processing that information with what seems like breathtaking speed." [emphasis in the original]
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
, or supported argument, in modern journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
that suggests that the increasing pace of society is matched by (and perhaps driven by) journalists' ability to report events and the public's desire for more information.
Origin
The idea is credited to Bruce FeilerBruce Feiler
Bruce Feiler is a popular American writer on faith, family, and finding meaning in everyday life. He is the best-selling author of nine books, including Walking the Bible, Abraham, and America's Prophet, and one of only a handful of writers to have four consecutive New York Times nonfiction...
and first defined by Mickey Kaus
Mickey Kaus
Robert Michael Kaus , better known as Mickey Kaus, is an American journalist, pundit, and author best known for writing Kausfiles, a "mostly political" blog which was featured on Slate until 2010. Kaus is the author of The End of Equality and had previously worked as a journalist for Newsweek, The...
in a February 24, 2000 Kausfiles blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
post and Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
online magazine article, "Faster Politics: 'Momentum' ain't what it used to be." Only in a later article on March 9, 2000 did Kaus give the theory the name "Feiler Faster Thesis."
In the original article, Kaus describes two trends: the speeding up of the news cycle and the compression of the schedule of primaries
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for the 2000 U.S. general election. Kaus wrote: "Feiler's point is that we should put these two trends together--and that when we do, Trend 1 considerably softens the impact of Trend 2." Kaus uses the observation to reassess the concept of momentum
Momentum
In classical mechanics, linear momentum or translational momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object...
in politics, suggesting that there are now simply more opportunities for turns of fortune and that voters are able, for the most part, to keep up.
Definition refined
Kaus's second interpretation in a later article is broader and more succinct:- The news cycle is much faster these days, thanks to 24-hour cable, the Web, a metastasizedMetastasisMetastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
pundit caste constantly searching for new angles, etc. As a result, politics is able to move much faster, too, as our democracy learns to process more information in a shorter period and to process it comfortably at this faster pace. [emphasis in the original]
Application
The idea is based on James GleickJames Gleick
James Gleick is an American author, journalist, and biographer, whose books explore the cultural ramifications of science and technology...
's 1999 book Faster, which makes the argument that the pace of Western society
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
, and American society in particular, has increased and that "a compression of time characterizes the life of the century now closing." Gleick documents the ways technology speeds up work and the time people spend doing various tasks, including sleeping. He points out that "we have learned to keep efficiency in mind as a goal, which means that we drive ourselves hard." Gleick's key observation is that "some of us say we want to save time when really we just want to do more."
The thesis is sometimes misinterpreted as merely describing the shortening of the news cycle, which is actually covered as part of Gleick's original observations. Kaus recognized the difference in a 2005 posting: "The FFT, remember, doesn't say that information moves with breathtaking speed these days. (Everyone knows that!) The FFT says that people are comfortable processing that information with what seems like breathtaking speed." [emphasis in the original]
External links
- Kausfiles: "Faster Politics", the Kausfiles blog post where Kaus first described the thesis
- Slate: "Faster Politics", the Slate version of the same article
- Slate: "Kausfiles Battles for the Vital Center!", Kaus's second, broader, definition of the idea
- "Do You Wanna Go Faster?", Kera Bolonik's review