The Situationist List

discussion about breathing

From: richard haden <richard_haden-AT-yahoo.com>
Date: 16 Aug 2010 05:23:06 UTC   (10:23:06 PM in author's locale)
To: Situationist <situationist-AT-lists.nothingness.org>

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Good Idea Jean to have a discussion about breathing. I started one.

I will use this idea to talk about one sure fire way of "being" outside the mediation of the spectacle… as a way of confirming or knowing that you always have a quick escape route to out side of any commodified activity invented by capital. The type of activity I am referring to is running. Running or Jogging causes breathing to increase. The key is in breathing hard—as a result of running breathing quickens and causes one to let go of outside influences. It is the letting go of… that informs or reintroduces the real in reality or is it that all is drained —especially the spectacle.

An activity as simple as running or jogging is as old as humanity itself. It is pre capital, hence pre spectacle. Running was in fear or in the chase of prey no doubt it was also the first way to send oral mail…etc.

Lately I have been jogging at least 3 miles a day in the summer heat of Miami. Let me tell you from an unmediated, immediate experience that heat quickly builds in the body and on the skin down here in the tropics…sweat pours out and I get fucking thirsty quick. At the end of my run I have a large glass of Ice water waiting at my studio right along side the garden hose. When I run up the last bit of driveway and grab that ice cold glass of water and drink in down fast the last thing on my mind is whether it is flavored or branded with some commodified reward sold to me from an advertisement. It is not pepsi or coke its the best tasting thing with out any ingredients. There is a natural satisfaction from consuming plain old water when the body is hyper heated. Oh yes, I also drench myself with the water hose…that is the next best thing until I have the local "Little River" water tested so that I can jump in that for relief.

There is no in debt analysis here, just a simple reminder that there are great things to do for free that don't make a profit for someone else. It is plain old simple free form "being" without outside influence other than the natural elements outside myself. Another added benefit I have noticed since I have been in the chase or run mode lately is that running is similar to walking but different in that while running you notice things on the ground and in the path way very very quick otherwise you trip or wrench an ankle or knee. So while running makes one very alert, running also makes everything else very visible, especially the architecture, grass, trees, cement, heat, coolness, rain, humidity, sunshine, etc because the body is in an accelerated mode.

Walking does this to some extent but like the "Flaneur's" walk there is a lot on the mind of the dandy. And Running is not a Dandy's game.

Running however can be like the "drift" or "derive". It can be turned into an activity… a very interesting form of psychogeographical tour.

Pleas feel free to add to this idea.

AsBsetMe

Richard Haden

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