Name: Rawdogging marathons.
Age: In its therapeutic sense, brand new.
Appearance: It doesn’t look like much, to be fair.
I don’t even know what it is. Originally, rawdogging was a slang term for having sex without a condom.
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They have marathons for that? Over the years, however, it has come to mean doing something other than sex without preparation, protection or distraction.
What kind of something other? Almost anything: taking an exam unprepared was rawdogging it; enduring a long-haul flight without any kind of entertainment was rawdogging it. Going out alone, or sober? Rawdogging.
So by extension, a rawdogging marathon must be running a marathon unprepared. People sometimes use the term that way, but that practice should be discouraged, and it’s not what we’re talking about here.
Well then – does a rawdogging marathon mean doing anything for a long time? No. It means doing nothing for a long time.
I’m very confused. Specifically, it means sitting still and staring into space for an extended period. Most importantly, without your phone.
Can I listen to music? No.
Can I read a magazine? No.
Can I be in the shower, or in bed? No.
Why not? Because you’re rawdogging!
How long do I have to do it for? That’s up to you. A “productivity influencer” called Rowan recently filmed himself rawdogging for an hour every day in a bid to improve his attention span.
What did he do with the footage? He posted it on TikTok.
So that other people could watch him do nothing on their phones? Don’t worry – he cut the hour down to a 30-second timelapse to make it less boring.
Just so you know, the irony of that is not lost on me. What was the result? He found it helped his focus and his productivity, and many of his followers were inspired by his efforts.
It sounds as if the TikTok generation has somehow invented meditation. That’s one criticism levelled at rawdogging, but young people are battling monumental levels of distraction these days: while older generations had to learn to tolerate boredom, they must learn to cultivate it.
Who wants to be bored, though? Many neuroscientists suggest that boredom is not only good for you, it’s a critical stimulus required for creative thinking.
Do say: “An hour spent without your phone is never wasted.”
Don’t say: “Dude, just finished a rawdogging marathon – no headphones, no water, no shoes. Out of hospital on Tuesday.”
