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Are 5K Walks a Sign of Our Growing Narcissism?
The first problem I have with 5K walks and races is that I have no idea how far I am going. Who decided that we should utilize the metric system for measuring the length of fun runs? As has been well documented on Ricochet in the past, the metric system is wrong. To further prove the point, just think of some people who have used the metric system (Hitler and Stalin) and some who did not (St. Paul and da Vinci). I mean, honestly, enough said, right?
Anyway, the point of this post is not to rail against the metric system (as enjoyable as that is), but rather to discuss an odd phenomena of the past few decades called the charity walk or run. During this season of giving, only a deranged member (such as me) would nitpick the specifics around charity events and not just accept them as a fun way to raise money for a good cause. With that said, let’s get a few things out of the way before we go further. No, I am not in favor of disease, poverty, drowning puppies, or denying orphans their multi-vitamins. However, I am asking the question: why do we tie walking or running in circles with “doing something” to help others? Why can’t we just quietly donate money as our ancestors did without putting on the short shorts and overpriced tennis shoes (please don’t see this as an indictment of charity race participants. I was in a 5K myself a few weeks ago, I just find the practice odd)? I argue there are two reasons some (not all) folks need the race and ribbon and don’t just make the donation.
- Some people (again, not all) want/need to make an act of giving partly about themselves
- In the age of bumper sticker politics, some people feel a need to have a venue to tell you what they find important rather than donating anonymously
Now, I am a man of my times and accept that these events are not going anywhere, so I propose the first annual Ricochet 1K walk. I have no idea how far 1K is, but it could not be that far, so we could probably just make it one lap around Lileks’ palace in Minneapolis. I suggest we shoot for the first week of June, as it is the only tolerable period in between the two seasons of Minnesota, Snow and Mosquito. The first 10 people to register will have their membership status automatically upgraded to the prestigious Thomas E. Dewey level which includes a Chicago Tribune with the headline of your choice (probably).
Published in General
Yes.
1 kilometer is approximately 0.6 miles.
I’ve commented on this before online (not on Ricochet). I hate it.
The upshot is, you’re asking donations for whatever, because you are going to work really, really hard at accomplishing nothing.
I’m still waiting, but I’d like to see someone come up to me and say that if he or she donates ?? hours of time to a food line to feed impoverished people or donated time in a homeless would I like to donate to the charity of that someone’s choice?
I’ll gladly do that for someone who’s donating time to Meals on Wheels, or someone who is simply mowing a lawn for a shut-in.
But for someone who shaved their head? NOTHING.
It is actually .62 miles so a 10 k sounds much longer than a lousy 6.2 miles.
Is the proposed 1k open to people with mobility impairments?
Walking is for chumps. Oh, sorry Pleated.
Soon it will be time for the 3rd Annual Worst Poster(Writer) of Ricochet Award. With enough money and enemies you can win. Each vote is gotten when $5 is donated to the selected charities. There is a $20 to charity entry fee for those who are so brave to toss their avatar into the ring.
Here is the link.
http://ricochet.com/archives/fundraiser-1229-50-so-far-voting-begins-on-the-worst-writer-of-2013/
Pleated, I really think you have a natural talent for incoherency. I can’t find fault with your logic. I can’t even find it.
Only 0.6 miles, eh. Well, maybe it will have to be a trip around Lileks’ garage instead of his home.
Guessing you’re not a big fan of the bucket challenge either.
There are different speeds. I thought there was just “On” and “Off”.
If someone said 6.2 miles at least you know how far you are going. It’s like the time Mr. Burns bought that 100 gram weight thinking it was a lot……there is just no way to make sense of the metric system
NPJ – I should have been more clear. No walking is actually allowed in the Ricochet 1K. Scooters, bikes, skateboards, and Mad Max style dune buggies are all OK, but no walking.
Diez Centavos – you make me look forward to sandals season and, as a guy who wears pleated pants, I hate sandals season
I am confused. Is it “1” or “O” with the “K”? What is the World Record for the OK anyway?
JW – this is the problem with you science types. It’s my God given right to use gallons, cups, and hogsheads all to describe the same thing
John
I did not even have to open your hyperlink and I knew what you were going to reference. I remember that fiasco well since the replacement mission swiped a piece of “my” thermal hardware from the instrument I was in the mists of developing. JPL used some lame excuse to “reprioritize” my detector cooler for their PMIRR instrument.
As for the units idiocy, I blame the mechanical designers. I have generated a whole set of buggered units (like W/in-C) because they refuse to work in native metric. When they are force to “metricize” you can tell they just wash it through some converter since you get odd ball dimensions for the interface drawing, et al.
It has taken almost 30 years, but with the better availability of metric AN and other metric flight qualified fasteners (and the passing of us dinosaurs) we are slowly joining the rest of the world w.r.t the metric system.
III
Damn dude. Is there anything that you don’t know?
Simon,
You liked my comment. Don’t even think that you can out worst me this year. Stick to walking with your cane.
You’re treading on very shaky ground here, Your Royal Titheness; careful, or you’ll become one of those SupportHose things; be nice to people who use mobility-aids…Someday, you’ll need one, just sayin’
Nanda,
Simon don’t read this. ;-)
Volunteering was a big thing at my high school, and just as you suggested, Pants, there was a lot of narcissism involved. At the end of the year, the head mistress would announce the girl with the most volunteer hours, and she would given an award out. It was even something the girls put on their college applications. It was less about doing something helpful, and more about doing something helpful as long as someone was around to see it.
Matthew 6:2-4New King James Version (NKJV)
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
I remember back when the feds were trying to get everyone to switch to the metric system, I bought a 4″ paintbrush that was also listed as something like 102.3 mm.
400 meters…
300 meters…
Speak American, Kowaslski!
Sorry sir. 218 yards…
(From Penguins of Madagascar)
Simon,
That is why I wear a sock. It confuses my left hand.
Alright, I’m in. Is the inimitable Mr. Lileks going to lead us in a little Casablanca Tango while we’re there?
http://www.lileks.com/store/casablanca/index.html
Every year I walk-run in the Metric Marathon in my hometown. I avoid charities; there’s no telling if I’ll make it all the way, so why disappoint?
What’s so great about the metric marathon? Twenty-six kilometers is about ten miles less than a real marathon, and when I tell people I ran it, they think it’s some kind of geek run, but it’s still impressive because it’s a marathon — for a short while, until someone asks what it really means.
Here’s the thing: If you have a 5k run for a group of cancer survivors, and their friends and family all show up, and run/walk, and hang out together for a few hours on a Saturday morning, and donations are collected, and some tears of joy and sadness are shed, then yeah, ok, I can see how it’s like a really selfish thing to do.
At a minimum, these events raise some awareness, a little bit of money, and help people know they’re not alone. So I can see how nauseating they are.
And, driving on the Autobahn at 130 km/hr just feels so cool.
It’s absolutely narcissistic. People walk or golf or whatever. Make a big show, have some fun together, tell everyone about it, and get other people to donate.
Other people donate and they take all the credit.
Narcissism.
Heaven forbid any of us do these 1K/5K/10K races for the fun of it, as in, because we like to run, and races provide an extra dose of competition to get the juices flowing. If a portion of the entrance fee goes to good causes, so much the better.
I see it as the market in motion. There is a market for runners. They’ll pay the fee. Charity-minded? Get some sponsors and organize a race, you’ll raise money. Bottom line is, most who enter don’t think as much about the cause as they do about the race. They are there to run.
This post was funny, and that is the entirety of my comment. PPF, you slay me!