Learning to Unicycle as performance art...

[pix]

http://www.slot.net.au/sach-catts.html

Perhaps an interesting (negative) data point for Klaas' statistics

pix.

[phlegm]

The piece grows conceptually from the inherent absurdity of the unicycle. As a vehicle it is useless, it constitutes only an entertainment value; a circus trick. Viewed within a rational (perhaps economic) paradigm, it is ultimately pointless. The framing of the rigid time structure and criterion based analysis, applied to this tortuous, pointless skill acquisition, and heightens the aforementioned schizoid absurdity.

[MuniAddict]

Originally Posted by phlegm

This "Artist" is obviously mentally ill, lol! Of all people and of all professions, an artist is supposedly more than able to see "outside the box". He's apparently blind. Oh, and also he's totally frustrated at failing to make any progress in his attempts to learn how to ride a uni, so he rationalizes his failure by bashing, belittling the sport, and calling it "Pointless". It would be pretty funny if he wasn't so pathetic! Wait...still funny!

[zod]

well he should have learned in about the 2nd hour of the 2nd day..........slow learner

[joemarshall]

he is kind of right though - from a purely economic / efficiency point of view, a unicycle costs more than a bike, goes slower than a bike, and doesn't have any major efficiency advantages that offset that.

That's what's great about unicycles - their very pointlessness is part of what makes them so much good fun.

Although whether we really need a conceptual piece about the futility of our working lives to point that out I'm not sure!

You have to respect him for actually doing such a long and stupid performance though. Whilst looking at his description of the concept behind it, it seems a bit vacuous/obvious, he at least is making a coherent and focused point.

Joe

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Originally Posted by zod

well he should have learned in about the 2nd hour of the 2nd day..........slow learner

He probably had zero instruction or advice on how to learn, which slows someone down, and he was probably trying too hard, trying to do it for 8 hours straight each day seems like it would make things harder than stopping for the day when you feel accomplished or tired, and picking it up again later.

[zod]

Originally Posted by ThisGuyIKnow

trying to do it for 8 hours straight each day seems like it would make things harder than stopping for the day when you feel accomplished or tired, and picking it up again later.

well this is true....8 hours straight when you're trying to learn would send you over the edge!

[Nurse Ben]

But did he learn how to ride a unicycle? Did he still want to ride when he was doen with the "art"?

[hobo_chuck]

Originally Posted by MuniAddict

This "Artist" is obviously mentally ill, lol! Of all people and of all professions, an artist is supposedly more than able to see "outside the box". He's apparently blind. Oh, and also he's totally frustrated at failing to make any progress in his attempts to learn how to ride a uni, so he rationalizes his failure by bashing, belittling the sport, and calling it "Pointless". It would be pretty funny if he wasn't so pathetic! Wait...still funny!

He has a pretty good uni for all that.
And I did learn to ride in 8 hours a day......over the course of 1 1/2 days- So he should have learned long before all those problems arose..

Of course, those look like pretty short cranks for a beginner..and he was probably telling himself the whole time that he was never going to get it

[hobo_chuck]

Originally Posted by joemarshall

he is kind of right though - from a purely economic / efficiency point of view, a unicycle costs more than a bike, goes slower than a bike, and doesn't have any major efficiency advantages that offset that.

How about maneuverability? I still can't do any of the stuff on my bike that I can do on my uni (ok, I can ride and steer) and I still take up the whole street just to turn around... on a unicycle I can easily turn on a dime.
I also have to dismount to pick small objects up on a bike, while on a unicycle...you just squat, grab, keep riding.

As far as cost, a KH is cheaper than a Monty.
Speed, on hilly terrain a 36er can easily beat a biker in poor physical condition.
Then there's fitness....I simply can't keep myself entertained on a bike long enough to get a good workout, while on a uni I can just go out and do a few hundred unispins and maybe some riding skills in-between(when I get winded, do some slow freestyle)

I'm too lazy to write more

[Hugh]

I would submit that art and unicycles are similarly absurd and pointless in their utility. But both exist for the pleasure of the people who partake in them. However, unicycling has the added benefit of being able to provide you with a fun way to get exercise.