Worldcongress of the Hedonist International

Waiting and perhaps restlessness has been a topic of discussion for a long time. Definitely since “Waiting for Godot” (Wilson, 1999). Waiting and related restlessness is not just an issue in arts, but an issue that shapes societies (Kölle & Peppel, 2019). E.g. the German society.
It might be reasonable to assume that an increase in restlessness originated in the protestant reformation, the rise of the late Calvinism and the following industrial revolution (Ullrich, 2020). The decrease of non-physical waiting spaces with the rise of personal and wearable electronics, non-stop connectivity and a blend of work and private are under suspect to this change in contemporary societies (Kölle & Peppel, 2019). Marko A. Kagioglidis investigates origins of restlessness and the urge to minimize waiting in western societies, from both a historical and a contemporary point of view. It discusses the negative stigmatisation of waiting even though “‘disconnecting’ from technology and providing the nervous system with a respite from outside stimulation might actually be conducive for mental health” (Wilson et al., 2014). Further, it investigates an emerging marginalisation of the working class through the reduction of waiting spaces and why waiting can be an unbearable activity on a psychological level.
This research project also looks into the trends of the way we wait and uses the method of a “Speculative Design” (Dunne & Raby 2013) approach to not just emphasise the significance of the need for waiting spaces but also to make it experienceable: A performance was created as an experiment. Participants were able to experience in a designed environment what self-imposed waiting feels like. Personal experiences can lead to discussions.
Raising the question if waiting is not seen as the “ugly side effect” can it then be used as a form of protest, as a lens to highlight deficits and trends in societies. And hopefully, it can be used as a tool to shape tomorrow's societies.