Stupid and Deadly

[icyfroth]

"Spain's Pamplona bull-running fiesta  wrapped up on Sunday with another five  seriously injured, including an  Australian woman who was gored, after nine days  that landed a total of  50 daredevils in hospital."

"A man has died after downing six litres of beer in a drinking competition at a beer festival in Spain."

"A MAN has died after collapsing during a pie-eating contest at a pub in  Queensland's northeast."  

Why do people do it?

[bright.ton42]

Hi Icy   

You don't hear of the planking much anymore do you, I wonder if it's gone out of 

fashion.  

[twyngwyn]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/07/23/12/15/man-caught-driving-car-without-steering-wheel

another one???

[youcandoityoucandoityoucandoit]

bright,

The new version was wall and roofjumping- remember that girl who jumped from the roof into a pool and broke both her feet? And her mother wanted crowdfunding to pay for the med bills?

I wish I was her, said no one ever.

So much talent and courage shown...

[kilroy_is_here]

Christopher Columbus was in his time thought to be a fool stupid risk taker, as were many of the other explorers & risk takers, the world needs the risk takers as it is they who drive forward mans advancement , lets face it who do you think will become the next great explorers once space travel becomes more mainstream & affordable , it won't be those who are not willing to push the bounds of their ability and fear to strive to beat the odds, they will stay at home and call those that are willing fools & idiots, they will yell I told you so to those that fall by the wayside or loose their lives and they will cheer for those that are successful , all from the safety of the lounge chair.

I would rather someone run with the bulls than run with some drugged up gang

[icyfroth]

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@bright.ton42 wrote:

Hi Icy   

You don't hear of the planking much anymore do you, I wonder if it's gone out of 

fashion.  

---

Hi Bright

You're right,  the planking seems to have gone out of fashion. Getting drunk and picking random strangers for a bashing seems to be the latest trend.

[icyfroth]

s

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@kilroy_is_here wrote:
Christopher Columbus was in his time thought to be a fool stupid risk taker, as were many of the other explorers & risk takers, the world needs the risk takers as it is they who drive forward mans advancement , lets face it who do you think will become the next great explorers once space travel becomes more mainstream & affordable , it won't be those who are not willing to push the bounds of their ability and fear to strive to beat the odds, they will stay at home and call those that are willing fools & idiots, they will yell I told you so to those that fall by the wayside or loose their lives and they will cheer for those that are successful , all from the safety of the lounge chair.

I would rather someone run with the bulls than run with some drugged up gang

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Somehow I think it's the stay-at-homes that will try to prove their derring-do with mindless risk taking behaviour rather than the real shakers and movers who take calculated risks in the advancement of humankind, kilroy.

[youcandoityoucandoityoucandoit]

I am just shaking my head here...

I really cant see ANY correlation between Christopher Columbus and other explorers and their achievements and the stupid people who think running with the bulls is fun. I also fail to make a connection between those that run with the bulls and those that run with 'drugged up gangs' What point are you trying to suggest?

There are those who take calculated risks to achieve an outcome, like an experiment. Perhaps they want to answer 'what if?' Society needs people to make discoveries, collect information, test hypotheses, and create and analyse. I respect these people who have talents and abilities to do this- there is no talent used in taking risks for an adrenalin rush.

Kilroy, all the activities you list in post 26 have techniques to be mastered, some have rules..to be adept at them, one needs to practice and achieve, its not only about a calculated risk, but sustained effort, even talent.

Too simple to suggest that those people who dont partake in risky behaviour sit at home knitting, or 'not living'..

I have too much respect for my life and dont need to prove myself to anyone.

[***super_nova***]

Once upon the time sailing into unexplored oceans had great benefits.  Discovery of new lands and riches was good for the country that sent out the expeditions.  But now people do dangerous things mainly as self indulgence and to become famous.  But there is one thing when somebody does something that involves high skill with an element of danger, and totally other when people indulge in totally senseless activity involving stressed animals. 

There is no skill in eating pies and drinking too much.  And I find it quite offensive that in the world where many people do not have enough to eat, somebody will gorge themselves to death, and that somebody feels justified organising such a competition.

[*crikey*mate*]

I am curious which category fishing for pleasure falls into.

I have no doubt that for the true enthusiast that it involves an incredible amount of skill and knowledge. I would also go as far as to say that there would be a reasonably high level of risk involved, especially for game fisherman who subject themselves to the whims of nature and largely unpredictable oceans with little more protection than a CB radio and a bit of fibreglass.

Now, I've never asked a fish if they experience stress, but I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that they don't totally enjoy the experience (especially if Rex Hunt gives them a kiss!)

Same thing for SCUBA diving.

I'm with Kilroy on this one, can't say that beer and pie eating competitions really do anything to float my boat, but if it rocks some people's worlds, then what's it matter? Can't say I get a lot out of a wet t shirt competition either, but others clearly do.

Some people are just not afraid of death, it's as simple as that. But what a waste of a life to wake up one day full of regrets for things that you wished you had done or tried only to realize that you had simply survived rather than truly lived.

Life is all about making memories, it's each individual who decides which ones are significant to themselves.

[cherry*135]

Sadly, a lot of fishermen, visitng our area who fish from the rocks, get swept of the rocks  by a rogue wave or in stormy weather and drown in the sea.. too many really.

I think the difference here is that rock climbers, hang gliders, bungee jumpers etc are well aware of the risks and  possilbe outcomes of those activities (serious injury or death) if something goes wrong in their attempts at carrying out these activities.

Where as a pie stuffing competition or a how much you can drink competition.. I don't think the contestants even consider they could end up dead from doing these things....they only have one thought and that is to try and win a competition.