Stanisland Magazine

It has come to the point where we can’t do anything without jumping on the latest trend: ‘raw dogging,’ the internet’s latest fad.

In a big burly man voice: “Just raw dogged a 13 hour flight.” Why am I not surprised it began with a celebrity? Why, oh, why am I not shocked? The latest faddy trend known as ‘raw dogging’ has landed. If it didn’t sound stupid enough, it’s as stupid as it reads. No it’s not some freakish preference, nor is it anything to do with uncooked meats. It is the abstention from all or any stimuli when travelling via a long haul flight.

Some people feel they’re remarkable for the feat of engaging in said practice. They fail to realise that it arose, not from any philosophical movement, but from the dirt-bed of social media. This is what it has come to. We lack any sort of forum to identify and plug gaps within the weaknesses of society; instead, it languishes within the pendulum of egregious social trends. One that doctors do not recommend.

READ MORE: What Happens Once The Trend Has Passed?

Erling Haaland, Torren Foot and Damion Bailey have all shared that they have engaged in the practice, and others ‘record’ themselves enduring the activity (or lack there of) and use it to platform that they are, far better than all of us. Just look at us, entertaining ourselves, getting stupider reading our books and holding conversations. We are just so worse off for our habits when travelling by plane.

Journalists Are Perpetuating Social Media Trends

It has blossomed into a trend whereby journalists (clearly failing in their quest for inspiration) feel compelled to churn out stories merely to fill time and space. They have decided that a constructive use of their role is to publish the trivial activities of celebrity engagements, most recently – ‘raw dogging.’

It’s perfectly fine to engage in any activity you want to, but broadcasting it for the sake of clout is a real low, where we are essentially demanding respect for the bare minimum. It is sad that it has come to the point where we need to test our addictions to smart tech in such a way. This trend doesn’t prove anything except the fact we are far too addicted to seeking validations from people we don’t know and will probably never meet.

There is nothing wrong with doing absolutely nothing on a flight, but don’t give it a stupid name or refer to it as some kind of sport. Self-reflection is a multifaceted roadmap and requires more than just a single action. A long-haul flight is not a replacement for the long-haul of successful personal reinvention. So, instead of seeking to impress strangers online, lets start impressing ourselves.