Read This: Purity in the Skies? The Paradox of Rawdogging Long-Haul Flights

"Rawdogging flights" has become a viral phenomenon, representing a form of self-imposed austerity where travelers board long-haul flights and do nothing—no movies, no books, not even snacks—except maybe stare at the flight map. In his piece for The Atlantic, Ian Bogost dives into this trend, framing it as a quest for an unattainable purity. Originating from a culture overloaded with sensory and digital stimuli, rawdogging attempts to reclaim a sense of unadulterated experience, albeit in a deliberately exaggerated and ironic way. Bogost notes, "Rawdogging is an aspiration, not an act," highlighting how the movement is less about actual practice and more about a symbolic rebellion against modern life's conveniences.

Despite its seemingly austere nature, the rawdogging trend is rife with contradictions. Modern air travel itself is a product of advanced technology, far from the natural simplicity rawdoggers claim to seek. Moreover, this movement mirrors a broader cultural desire for minimalism, as people increasingly look for ways to resist the excesses of consumer culture. As Bogost cleverly puts it, "We cannot reverse time on social progress, even when that progress feels regressive."