Back to Jérôme's Paragliding page / Reality Check.

Sustainable Fun
by Jérôme Daoust. 2019/1/10.

Those to blame for an accident resulting from a high-risk activity are...

 

The Performer

He probably got into the sport after seeing someone else (role model) doing something that looks cool and/or praised by spectators, so he wanted to duplicate.

Natural selection has rewarded those demonstrating being the best at something (a sport, an intellectual accomplishment, a possession), as it attracts potential mates who are hardwired to be attracted to a leader.

That adrenaline rush feels good and our euphoria is amplified by the compliments/cheering of spectators.

It is easy to be "in the moment", temporarily forgetting the importance of the rest of our lives (family, job, friends). Add drugs & alcohol, and then only the "now" matters.

He tries to forget his "close calls", hoping it was a fluke, instead of applying a safety measure that would interfere with the delivery of his close-up performances.

He has become good at shutting down those voicing their concern:

   Saying: "Nothing bad happened, leave me alone, can't you see everybody else is enjoying this?"

   Thinking: "I feel the love, it is their way of showing me they care, by saying they worry about me."

If you are not getting well-paid for your risky performance, you are selling yourself cheap.

 

The Role Model(s)

They are most to blame for having created the behavior of the performer, and should reflect on their influence.

They are usually charismatic people, and fun happens when you are around them. Others will want to duplicate their behavior.

When tragedy strikes a role model, it douses the flames of its followers, becoming the "silver lining" to the tragedy.

 

The Spectator(s)

It is usually the most uneducated (with respect to the activity displayed) that is most likely to cheer on the performer.

They amplify the good feeling of the performer, and feel good about providing positive feedback to join into the excitement.

Types of spectators:

·       Cheering: They make up the majority of spectators, usually yelling "Woo Hoo" or "Yeaaah". Uneducated with the risks of the performance, or hoping to see a crash: Do you just watch car races to see them safely go fast? It is great to join the "feel good" moment. Some spectators will cheer for the purpose of having the performer raise the risk level.

·       Absent: Friends, family members, usually not attending the spectacle. They cringe when forced to watch the spectacle/show. Understanding potential consequences, they may suffer.

·       Reasonable. They most likely (or should have) voiced their concerns to the performer. But how often can they repeat the same safety advice? The performer labels them as a "wet blanket" who misses out on life, and friendship may be eroded. They are often participants in the same sport (educated with the risks), and may suffer the repercussions of reactionary new regulation, or closure/prevention of the activity.

 

Takeaway…

A life without any fun (and associated risk) would be debatably wasted, but one should seek a level of fun (and associated risk) that is sustainable throughout their life.

It is impossible to perfectly manage the safety margin during risky behavior, as the risk factors vary and could suddenly all line up into a "perfect storm" at a particular time, equivalent to a rogue wave flipping a boat during an otherwise normal sea.

Whatever you do that steps out of the norm, be it paragliding or motorcycling, there are persistent persons in your life (friends and family) that will then rise to say "I told you so, and that's why I don't do that" when an accident occurs. Make them wrong by living a long life of sustainable fun.

 

Jerome,

   Far from perfect, but paragliding since 1989, and motorcycling since 1980.