"Skiing is better than sex actually, because for me a good round of sex might be seven minutes. Skiing you can do for seven hours"

Spalding Gray’s witty comparison draws upon the allure of physical pleasure and the ecstasy found within a beloved sport, highlighting both the ephemeral nature of sexual gratification and the enduring, meditative joy of skiing. Through humor, Gray both pokes fun at human desires and elevates the less-celebrated joys of athletic activity. The statement invites reflection on how people measure fulfillment and satisfaction.

Sex, famously associated with intense pleasure, is fleeting for most people, a brief, passionate episode that is both anticipated and quickly over. Gray’s understated estimate of “seven minutes” brings levity but also a kind of honesty to the way many experience physical intimacy. By not shying away from the brevity, he implicitly asks the reader to question how they value their time and pleasure. If something considered the pinnacle of bodily sensation can be so brief, is there greater joy somewhere else?

Skiing, in contrast, offers a unique blend of excitement, rhythm, challenge, and communion with nature. For Gray, its appeal lies in duration and repeatability. Seven hours spent skiing encompasses a spectrum of sensations: speed, balance, fresh air, the quiet hum of wind and snow. There is opportunity for mastery, connection with one’s own body, and often shared experience with others, all stretched over hours, rather than condensed into minutes. That longevity allows for a different kind of pleasure: immersive, evolving, and meditative.

At play here is a gentle mockery of cultural priorities, especially the tendency to put sex on a pedestal. Gray’s observation suggests that perhaps the richer experiences in life are those that endure, that encompass both body and mind, that blend bliss with concentration, challenge with serenity. Through this juxtaposition, he conveys that fulfillment is found not just in the intensity of a moment, but in the depth and duration of an experience, inviting the reader to reconsider what brings lasting happiness.