Insufferable Gen Z slammed for resurfaced viral walking trend

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 ...