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A popular Gen Z trend has made an unexpected resurgence across social media, but older generations certainly aren’t buying into the hype.
The viral movement – dubbed ‘silent walking’ or ‘rawdogging’ a walk – first surfaced a few years ago and encourages people to step outside without their phones, headphones, or any other technological distractions.
Content creator Hawea Washburn is among the many young people taking to social media to share the profound impact of going on a completely unplugged stroll.
“Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or I have a lot of mental chatter, I like to take myself on a silent walk,” she said in a recent TikTok video.
She went on to explain that she strictly doesn’t listen to music, play podcasts, or even bring her dog along for the journey.
“I’m somebody that always has music playing … or I’m on FaceTime with somebody,” she admitted to her followers. “But that doesn’t really leave a lot of time to sit with your own thoughts.
“In my opinion, it is the easiest way to gain mental clarity and always get back home feeling completely recharged.”
While there is no doubt modern society is addicted to its screens, experts have long been calling for the public to implement new ways to break the relentless dopamine cycle.
And there’s actually hard neuroscience backing the benefits of letting our brains roam free without constant digital stimulation.
“When we rest, the brain does not switch off. In fact, some regions become more active,” neuroscientist Dr. Mark Williams OAM told Body + Soul.
One of these crucial regions is the default mode network – a collection of interconnected brain regions associated with mind-wandering that activates when our thoughts drift away from immediate tasks.
“This network helps us reflect on past experiences, imagine future possibilities, consider other people’s perspectives and connect seemingly unrelated ideas,” Dr. Williams explained.
“Quiet moments give us an opportunity to process emotions rather than continually distract ourselves from them.”
However, despite the psychological benefits, the trend’s resurgence has been hit with a wave of fierce backlash.
Many critics have branded Gen Z as “insufferable” and “annoying” for attempting to rebrand a basic human function as a groundbreaking wellness hack.
“This generation is the worst,” one angry user wrote, while another bluntly added: “Why are they so irritating? You’re just walking.”
“Gen Z think they invented everything,” a third chimed in sarcastically.
Many were quick to point out the hilarious irony that the supposedly fresh trend isn’t new in the slightest.
“Back in our childhood we didn’t even have headphones!” declared one user, presumably from an older generation.
The fact that the simple act of walking without a phone is causing such a stir online points to a much bigger problem in society, highlighting that we’ve all become so deeply dependent on our devices.
Because of this, many other users stepped up to defend the younger generation, arguing that any initiative encouraging people to log off should be celebrated.
“They’re just trying to experience life without technology,” one supporter reasoned.
“‘They’re just walking’ … for a generation that grew up with screens, anything that’s an incentive to keep them off their phones is a good thing actually,” argued another concerned user.
“It’s basically free therapy,” a fellow walker chimed in.
