Most people would have to walk through smog and traffic, and literally enjoy a cold concrete paradise. This doesn't sound enjoyable for meandering. I long for a rural life.
The slow death of purposeless walking
111–120 of 188 posts
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#112Very few people, particularly in cities, are obliged to do much of it at all. Cars, bicycles, buses, trams, and trains all beckon. I think they got it backwards. It's suburbia that let's you use your car door to door. I haven't done the study, but based on my observations walking is one of the favorite activities of inhabitants of my city. In fact people come from far away just to spend the day walking around. Some i…
To me, the connection between "purposeless walking" and creativity is beyond obvious. Every idea I had that was broad, far reaching, a game changer in many ways, I've had it while walking with no apparent aim. Not in the shower, not while sitting in an armchair, and definitely not in front of a computer.
There's something about this activity that expands the mind and jumpstarts the creative process. It doesn't help with narrowly analytic stuff - that's best left for when you're hunched down in front of the LCD.
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
I take it you live in a climate not subject to the extremes of seasons?
Moved to Southern California 4 months ago, but grew up and lived in New England before that. I'm an all seasons kind of guy. Sometimes you just gotta put more clothes on. And gloves and a hat. Also boots. Winter walks can be the best walks.
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Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#114Very few people, particularly in cities, are obliged to do much of it at all. Cars, bicycles, buses, trams, and trains all beckon. I think they got it backwards. It's suburbia that let's you use your car door to door. I haven't done the study, but based on my observations walking is one of the favorite activities of inhabitants of my city. In fact people come from far away just to spend the day walking around. Some i…
In the city where I live (Portland), most people take buses or the light rail when they can't bike due to the rain. In the summer, there's a lot of walking. I've noticed less of it in the suburbs, but there's quite a lot of it in rural Oregon. Simple, cheap fun. The Buddhists, whom Schopenhauer appreciated and modeled quite a bit of his metaphysical and psychological thinking on, also enjoyed walking a fair bit. The…
Yay! Portland!
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#115Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Smoke a little weed before you go on a purposeless walk. YMMV, for me that would be a paranoid, intellectually numb walk.
Ha, you just gotta smoke the right stuff. Sometimes that paranoia is what makes it interesting; reveals the contours of your mind. You get a sense of your personality you never had before.
> never had before
You don't understand, you just don't. People who smoke and get paranoid get it all the time.
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#117Here's a fantastic short story by Bruno Schulz that, to me, captures the joy of walking, albeit mostly indirectly: http://www.akirarabelais.com/vi/o/thelibraryofbabel/schulz/c...
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#118I live about a 5 minute walk from Castro St. in Mountain View. I always walk down there whenever I go to eat food because I enjoy walking. My roommate cannot comprehend why I do this instead of driving. I think it has to do with the fact that our society has become so focused on instant gratification rather than gradual gratification.
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#119Even in the city, walking without purpose can be done. During an unemployment spell in the 2008 meltdown, I did a lot of very long (2+ hour) walks with limited destinations in mind other than "Far North" or "Far South". I did them without soundtracks or texting. They gave me a much bigger appreciation for the city. Beauty doesn't just exist in the woods.
I'm not sure the purposelessness is necessarily the main point. On vacations, my favourite way to get around cities is always to walk. Even if you have a map and want to go somewhere specific, walking there gives you much more of a feeling of exploration and actually getting to know the place.
Re: The slow death of purposeless walking
#120As some one who currently works from home, a "purposeless" walk is how I start and end my work day – I think of it as my "commute". Walking clears my head, gets me outside for a bit, and helps me separate my home life from my work life. For me, those walks might not be a necessity, but they are definitely not without purpose.
But as you say it's a purposeful walk to commute to/from work no? I wonder what % of people truly do the purposeless, I'm going outside for a walk, kind of walk...
I know I never do that. I walk to get somewhere, I walk to show friends the city, I walk while meeting with someone, but never walk just to walk.