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On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

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Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#141

Post by ajuc »

vaylian wrote: post #126
switch007 wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was heartbreaking to read. I’m sorry. It really surprised me when I read Germany. Shame on those people and the politicians who allow police to harass you. Shame on them!

I was also very surprised when I read that it was in Germany. When it comes to police checks, it is important to know your rights: https://anwaltauskunft.de/magazin/gesellschaft/strafrecht-po... The police is not allowed to discriminate against you just because you look foreign. Always demand that they tell you why you were stopped and that they show their badge. When it comes to racists, I personally would reply wit…

Eastern Germany is very racist. I'm white and I repeatedly got "the looks" when I spoke Polish on a trip there.

Not like Poland is better, but somehow people don't expect it in Germany.

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#142

Post by fridif »

ilovefood wrote: post #118

I love walking and there are many parks next to where I live. However I am never able to fully enjoy it or indulge in any longer thinking activities as most of the time I'll be interrupted by either elderly people asking me "to go back where I came from" or random ID checks by undercover police. This happened a lot (5x times) over the last year when I decide to go and walk in a park, once even during an online call w…

Your problem is not that you are North African, but rather that you are living in an area controlled by a group of people who feel that this is a smart policy to have, which of course it is not.

Come to the USA-- for all of our problems, you can at least walk in a park without encountering police.

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#143

Post by snakeboy »

During various confinements over the past year, I really enjoyed "illegal" late night walks when the streets and parks were completely dead. I found it the perfect ambiance to memorize poetry. Write them out long-hand and then carry nothing but the piece of paper for reference as needed. I don't have the patience for that in any other context.

It's been a surprisingly enriching complement to my daily routine to recite them to myself later on my bike or with friends. I'd never appreciated the poetic form before Covid, and I'd seriously encourage other young folks to give it a shot, especially if your only poetic exposure was in high school.

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#144

Post by Uberphallus »

ilovefood wrote: post #118

I love walking and there are many parks next to where I live. However I am never able to fully enjoy it or indulge in any longer thinking activities as most of the time I'll be interrupted by either elderly people asking me "to go back where I came from" or random ID checks by undercover police. This happened a lot (5x times) over the last year when I decide to go and walk in a park, once even during an online call w…

It shouldn't have to be this way, but try wearing sport clothing and make it a light jog for extra health points.

And by that I mean actual sports clothing, not the archetypical tight Adidas tracksuit that the average European troublemaker wears.

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#146

Post by C19is20 »

Uberphallus wrote: post #144
ilovefood wrote: post #118

I love walking and there are many parks next to where I live. However I am never able to fully enjoy it or indulge in any longer thinking activities as most of the time I'll be interrupted by either elderly people asking me "to go back where I came from" or random ID checks by undercover police. This happened a lot (5x times) over the last year when I decide to go and walk in a park, once even during an online call w…

It shouldn't have to be this way, but try wearing sport clothing and make it a light jog for extra health points. And by that I mean actual sports clothing, not the archetypical tight Adidas tracksuit that the average European troublemaker wears.

Oh, the irony....

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#147

Post by marttt »

tomcooks wrote: post #120

As a person who walked 8/15 hours for two months straight I can relate to most of the statements written by the author. I believe that listening to music or other recordings takes away from the experience and the mental gains that walking provides, and this is why I skip the headphones during my adventures. I can attest that after 10 days of continuous autonomous movement the mind switches to a "primordial" state tha…

Did you experience mental breakdowns of any kind while you were walking?

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#148

Post by the-dude »

vivferrari wrote: post #128

I was recently reading a book called Why we Swim where the author traces how the ape got back into the water. I think she rightly points out that Swimming is the best place to think because there is no way to be distracted by your phone or anything else for that matter. While I am also in a landlocked city with little access to pools but it would be interesting to get the point of view of swimmers.

Although I never carry a phone to begin with, as a previous non-swimmer I have started swimming in open water this year ( obviously I learnt to swim as a child ).

The 'just you and the elements' part is real, in the open water you can't just stop and get out, you have got to complete what you started. The 'completeness' of the exercise is different than biking or walking : every joint and muscle seems to be involved.

Back on land, the exhaustion is a different level than any other. Very deep breaths. When I get home, I am hungry as hell. Chronically under-weight, I seem to be gaining weight, very happy with that.

The end of summer is approaching and the water is getting colder, I am exploring the indoor pools in my vicinity.

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#149

Post by rramadass »

meristohm wrote: post #116

To what degree is this benefit due to increased oxygen from breathing?

Two books that you may find helpful;

* Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.

* Body by Science: A Research Based Program to Get the Results You Want in 12 Minutes a Week.

Re: On the link between great thinking and obsessive walking

#150

Post by rramadass »

papito wrote: post #45

This was mentioned before, but the explanation is very simple - walking gets your brain flushed with blood, making you think clearer. That's all there is to it. To take it further, recent studies suggest that exercise more strenuous than just walking makes you better at dealing with uncomfortable decisions and situations (as exercise forces you to power through discomfort). https://www.thecut.com/2016/06/how-exercise…

Good point. I think we need to be careful in recognizing that strenuous exercise does not enable us to make better considered decisions. It is gentle rhythmic exercise (eg. Walking, Tai-chi etc.) which does not tire out the body that is so important for brain health and better decision making.
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