Running with the Bulls

Recently a good friend of mine went on vacation to Spain. While there he decided it would be a good idea to run with the Bulls in Pamplona. He then proudly posted pictures of himself on Facebook adorned in the special tourist costume that paid organizers supply. It's a silly red and white outfit with a handkerchief tied around the neck, a quirky yet cheaply made ensemble. The post garnered a lot of likes and comments about how awesome this act was or about how crazy he is. I could tell when he got back that he was proud of the strong positive response that he got. What he failed to realize is that people were responding to how unusual of the post was rather conveying true admiration. It breaks up the banal cat, children, or political memes that get posted.

I believe that most of the people that liked his post actual had a somewhat lesser view of him afterwards. The hidden disapproval was not analysed or really acknowledged by the post-likers, they just went on with their lives with this new vague feeling that there was some amount of hollowness and lack of self awareness in their bull runner friend. Then there are the friends that didn't like the post. Most of them didn't approve of, or respect, the runner's actions and were cognizant of this disapproval. You don't get dislikes on Facebook posts and culturally people most don't express disapproval in this format. Because of this the bull runner friend only sees the superficial likes and is unaware that he has overall damaged his brand.

Much of the romanticism and fame attributed to running with the bulls comes from Earnest Hemming who famously documented his participation. Hemingway was a deeply troubled man constantly battling depression by throwing himself into dangerous situations and by drinking himself into oblivion. He fought in the Spanish civil war just for the excitement. By risking his life he thought that he would be able to feel more alive. This may have worked, but the relief would have been only temporary. After battling depression for most of his life he finally killed himself. If this is the reason a modern bull runner is participating it is nothing to congratulate, it is a sign of deep sorrow and sign that bad things are on the horizon.

Fortunately my friend did not run with the bulls to feel alive. His reason is why the vast majority of people participate, to prove to others how interesting and adventurous they are. The goal is to be seen participating but to expose yourself to the smallest risk possible. This is where the paid organizers come in. They know the patterns and psychology of the bulls, where and how the tourists should stand. They don't want you to get hurt, it would be bad for business. The safest thing is to post the customers in a large corners off from the typical bull path yet still very close and at a point where the bulls are already fatigued. The people should form a wall, the bulls are not really malicious, more frustrated and anxious. The wont plow into a wall of people that are not impeding there escape. they will attack the fools that get out in the stream driven by agitation and frustration. So really for these people its all for show. You could run out into the street for a bit when it looks safe just to prove to yourself that you're leading a rich life but you probably won't. People that are true adrenaline junkies tend to do activities for themselves and worry little about it being documented for their friend's approval. Mountain bike a difficult trail, rock climb, swim in the ocean, and don't worry about it getting photographed.

Then of course there is the moral issue involved in the tormenting and frightening the bulls. You say to yourself that they are just running through the streets, no harm right? Even if you believe the bulls don't mind stumbling and sliding around as hordes of primates taunt them, you should at least consider the ultimate fate of these creatures in the ring and what event this charade is really promoting.