For millennia, humans have been finding ways to stay connected with their favourite forms of entertainment while on the move. From the Roman soldiers who played a version of chess or draughts called Ludus Latrunculorum and spread their games throughout the world, to Cribbage, a card and peg game favoured by sailors, to books, and the advent of the portable or “picnic” gramophone that allowed music to be played anywhere in the early 20th century, and later the “ghetto-blaster”, Walkman, and the Gameboy that had us all addicted to Mario and Tetris instead of enjoying the view. Anything to avoid the boredom of just looking at the world go by, right?
What is rawdogging?
But the latest travel craze is a strange reversal of all that. “Rawdogging” is a term that describes an unsheathed electric cable and was originally co-opted to signify unprotected sex. It is now being used to refer to almost any experience of the world that is unadulterated.
When it comes to travel, rawdogging means to move through the world without any distractions whatsover. No books, games, music, or even refreshments. In an ironic way, it is still a kind of game, or at least a challenge to oneself: an endurance test for a generation that has grown up with ubiquitous connectivity and entertainment overload.
Reverse gamification
And now, that reverse gamification has been taken one step further because you no longer even have to “move through the world” or leave your own home in order to “enjoy” the experience of “rawdogging”. A browser game called “Rawdog Simulator” has been launched, allowing people to test their ability to do absolutely nothing from the comfort of their sofa.
The game does however involve looking at a screen, which could be argued to be a way of cheating the true rawdog spirit. Players book and board an imaginary flight with fictional carrier Rawdog Airlines and are then prompted by a “pilot announcement” to stow away their devices. They must however continue looking at their screen which is there to track their eye movements and detect any potential distraction from the issue at hand – doing nothing.
How long could you last?
If you are tempted to roll your own eyes at the absurdity of all this, not to mention the danger to eye health posed so much screen time, you would not be alone. Online commenters have largely been amused by or despairing at the pointlessness of the game. Adriano Contreras, Gizmodo’s social media editor, commenting on one champion who placed first in the simulator’s high score ranking by enduring over 18 hours of rawdogging, said, “That is insane! I mean, don’t you gotta get up and eat?!”
