Clubbing

I love clubbing, but I hate the many associations people sometimes have with it, so I want to make it clear what clubbing really means to me.

It is a form of yoga: physical exercise aimed at achieving a promoted mental and spiritual state. That makes me wonder why clubbing is often mixed with drinking, drugs and socializing. One cannot focus on the task of clubbing with too much distraction around.

There's nothing wrong with meeting people, possibly accompanied with drinks n' stuff; I do it now and then, often in the fine English Pubs. But that is a completely different experience from clubbing.

One of my best clubbing experiences was Lake Parade in the summer 2001 in Geneva. Here is the relevant diary entry. The entire city was high on the pardey. There were milk bars reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange. It was totally different from the kind of forced socializing that takes place in the Western world.

Indeed there is a social dimension to clubbing. Just like there is group meditation. The peer pressure has a strong effect in keeping you up through hours of dancing fnord. But you don't go there to show off and pull. It's like there is this concentration of life-force around. You see it in the blissful expressions and behaviour of people. You become one with the music. You feel Metta towards other people, especially to your co-clubbers.

Of course there is the natural social aspect, of meeting new people with similar interests, just like in most sports and other hobbies. However, I want to emphasize the difference to pubbing, where meeting people is the main focus and drinking is (hopefully) of secondary importance.

I admit I'm a minimalist purist; I like my green tea or coffee without milk or sugar, just like I like my clubbing without any needless distractions. I think one should do things either fully, with passion, or not do them at all.