Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s Norwegian striker never ceases to amaze. After having enchanted the fans with his feats on the pitch, he now launches a new challenge, this time off the pitch: “raw dogging”. What is it? An extreme practice that consists of spending an entire flight on an airplane without any form of distraction or comfort. No smartphones, no movies, no music, no food, no water, and for the more daring, not even a bathroom stop.. Only the gaze fixed on the seat in front and the map scrolling on the screen.
Haaland documented his feat with an Instagram story, showing himself with wide eyes and a stoic expression after a long seven-hour flight back from Manchester City’s US tour. “Just raw dogged a seven-hour flight”she wrote, adding nonchalantly: “No phone, no sleep, no water, no food. Only map. Easy”. But where does this extreme trend come from? It seems that the inspiration comes from some influencer videos on TikTok, in turn influenced by the TV series “Hijack – Seven Hours at High Altitude“, in which the actor Idris Elba remains immobile for hours during a plane hijacking.
There are those who claim that “raw dogging” is a sort of extreme meditationcapable of relax your brain, improve attention and concentration. Psychiatrist Danielle Haig told the BBC that “it is a technique that recharges the mind, offers new perspectives and helps manage loneliness“. But not everyone agrees. British doctor Gill Jenkins warned of the potential health risks: “Not drinking for many hours can lead to dehydration, and lack of movement increases the risk of thrombosis. They are idiots,” she said bluntly.
“Raw dogging” adds to the long list of social challenges that often put people’s health and safety at risk. It is essential to remember, in fact, that you should never follow dangerous fashions just to gain visibility online. Health comes first, and even on a plane it is important to stay hydrated and move regularly to avoid circulation problems.
