Nearly daily, a new viral TikTok trend breaks out and reveals one more sad truth about my generation. From washing chicken with dishwashing soap to sharpening your teeth with a nail filer, some of these trends have proven to be extraordinarily dangerous. However, others simply reveal unfortunate realities about who we are, and the directionless nature of our upbringings.
A ‘revolutionary’ new TikTok trend
This brings me to a more recent, less well-known trend known as ‘Silent Walking.’. If you are unfamiliar with this practice, you may be asking yourself: ‘What could this be?’ ‘Do you walk with earplugs?’ ‘Is it dangerous?’
No. It describes the practice of…get this…walking without using any kind of technology. No phone, no music, just being alone with your thoughts. Yes, once again, my generation has reinvented the wheel.
Many shout praises for the health benefits of this trend. “Silent walking allows for a mental decluttering.” “[It improves] mood and reduc[es] symptoms of anxiety and depression.” These quotes are from medical specialists describing the obvious.
But what do some regular TikTokers say? “[It’s] life-changing… My mind is clear. I have great ideas,” describes one TikToker. The very creator who popularized the trend reveals that she only started silent walking as a challenge from her boyfriend. She had to be challenged to go for a walk without using her phone.
How unfortunate is it that our generation is so inundated with constant distractions, so bereft of traditional experiences, that the act of being without technology for 30 minutes at a time is seen as a revolutionary experience? Today.com even describes the trend as having “roots in Buddhism and is a common mindfulness practice” as if simply functioning without technology is an ancient, esoteric practice.
The uniquely sad reality of this trend is that it more explicitly reveals just how dependent on technology many in my generation are to go about their day. Yes, it may be obvious that, without constant visual or auditory stimulation, one is more able to think clearly and engage with the surrounding nature. However, some have been without this for so long that they have forgotten what it feels like to be alone in their head. They are losing the, previously common-sense, intuition that constant distraction clouds our thoughts.
Are we ‘terminally online’?
I don’t speak on this trend as another means to shame my generation. I admit that I put on my headphones occasionally while walking to my next class. I simply want to shine a light on the rising extreme dependence young people have on technology.
Our entire identities are being shaped by the internet, continually disconnecting us from our real-world social networks. What was once supposed to connect us is now contributing to our increasing isolation. We are losing the habit of in-person socialization that is so necessary for our social and career development. Many, especially young men, are more lonely and are less likely to engage in community service, seeking less community-oriented occupations.
While the solution of disconnecting from technology may seem clear, it is not that simple, as we need to address what is causing such a reliance on technology. Is it simply a lack of self-control? Is it our grim political realities that cause us to seek an escape? Is it a lack of parental involvement?
As with most things, it is a mix of the above and more. This trend prompts us to look for what is wrong. Though this has been too easily laughed off as just another silly TikTok trend, “silent walking” is a serious call for help.
It is wonderful that many users are now more aware of the essential benefits this basic practice has. However, what is most concerning is that this is just another trend. At the end of the day, young people will go back to the way we have always been—subsumed in unreality.
