Philosophy and Jogging - the French silly season?

How bizarre that a philosopher, Alain Finkielkraut, is criticising Sarkozy for jogging on the grounds that jogging, unlike promenading (and whatever flaneurs do), lacks a spiritual dimension. He dismisses it as:

' ...mere body management, devoid of spirituality or sensitivity.'

Read about this here (thanks to the Philosophers' Magazine for the link). I'm not sure why anyone would treat such a view seriously. Is this supposed to be some kind of a priori truth? Or is it simply an elaborate way of saying 'I don't jog, and I don't like people who jog, particularly if they waddle a bit'? This isn't a spectator sport. For many people, far from being simply a way of keeping fit, running is a kind of focussed meditation.  But even if that wasn't true, wouldn't it be quite a good thing that a senior politician was concerned about his physical wellbeing and body management?...New Labour has several bad role models in this respect...Not that jogging in any way guarantees any spirituality or sensitivity...

Comments

[Puddock]

Love this story.

I just can't imagine jogging being objected to in the UK by any public figure for not being sufficiently spiritual. As a nation we seem to pride ourselves on our philistinism - the more it costs, the better. A politician is much more likely to be laughed at for how he looks than for how his soul is jogging along!

[Ned Smith]

Obviously, Monsieur Finkielkraut does not ascribe to the principles of Zen, wherein any activity can be a meditative opportunity if we want it to be. Witness Dr. Suzuki's "Zen and Swordmanship", "Rolling Meditation" and other similar combinations of physical activity coupled with meditation. Any time we apply our full attention to the activity of the moment- we are in a meditative state. Why should the philosopher's "promenade" ( I would have said "stroll" or "walk")be more philosophical than a jog. Mostly because, "French Presidents don't jog- Americans do that" The French are hard-wired to resist change albeit language or excercise and above all M. Sarkozy must always appear "serieux" and why does he smile so much? That's not very French either.

[Ophelia Benson]

Yes, I thought that story was quite amusing. That's why I posted it on TPM (I do their news links). Le footing, the French call it. Le footing! Haw!