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?

[icyfroth]

A fair amount of rock fishermen get swept away here in Sydney too. Rescuers often lament the fact that victims hadn't heeded weather reports, or that flotation devices hadn't been worn.

I think there's a difference between accidental death in pursuit of dangerous hobbies and pastimes, and mindless disregard for danger, usually under the influence of liquor, like planking, bonnet surfing, or laying in the middle of the road.

Parachuting, for instance. It's thrilling because it's dangerous. Yet all security precautions and training are undertaken. Accidents will still happen,

[not.a.sock.puppet]

[cherry*135]

I agree icy, the activities you have listed in the opening post are competitions and running with the bulls - an organised group dare?.  Not activities that people are have safety training for, before they undertake them like hang gliding, parachuting, abseiling and others mentioned here.

[*crikey*mate*]

I get where you are coming from Am - but realy, the same things could be said for crossing the road or driving from point A to point B. I doubt that most people consider the possibility of death when engaging in these activities, but as we are only too well aware, sometimes people do die trying.

People die. It's just how it is. Sometimes the circumstances are truly bizarre and incomprehensible.

[***super_nova***]

I think there is a difference between being brave and reckless; the people running with bulls think they are brave............ 

What I find interesting is that people here are saying that their life to be worth living they need more than just to survive.  In the same time people argue that refugees should be happy just vegetating in the camps or Indonesia. 

[kilroy_is_here]

The running of the bulls has been going on since the 13th century & has been running continuously since 1592 , like it or not right or wrong i think that it has a place in the world

[bright.ton42]

The fact that the running of bulls started in pre-mediaeval times has no bearing on its

continuance. 

The same as bull fighting, another horror. 

Witch burning was also the norm in those times, and many other barbaric practices which 

thankfully have been eradicated.  The same will happen with the bull running, maybe later than sooner, 

but it will happen.  

[cherry*135]

If I cross the road on a crossing  and get hit  & killed by an oncoming car, that is an accident and I have not caused my own death.

If I entered a competition to eat as many pies as I can and die doing so, I have killed myself basically...what is the point in that?

[cherry*135]

---

@bright.ton42 wrote:

The fact that the running of bulls started in pre-mediaeval times has no bearing on its

continuance. 

The same as bull fighting, another horror. 

Witch burning was also the norm in those times, and many other barbaric practices which 

thankfully have been eradicated.  The same will happen with the bull running, maybe later than sooner, 

but it will happen.  

---

I agree. I went to a bull fight in Spain as part of a tour, when I was there in the 1980's. It was horrible and I wished I never went.

Why they still think it is OK to run these events (bull running too) in this day and age, I don't know.

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@am*3 wrote:

If I cross the road on a crossing  and get hit  & killed by an oncoming car, that is an accident and I have not caused my own death.

If I entered a competition to eat as many pies as I can and die doing so, I have killed myself basically...what is the point in that?

---

To you and I, there may be no point at all, but to the participant, there may be numerous rewards. Prize money? Notoriety? Guinness Book of Records? (ever had a read of some of the truly bizarre things done in there?) Maybe it just makes them feel good to have something to boast about with their mates down the pub, who knows? Just because you and I may see no point in something, does not exclude another participant from doing so.

I'm gonna go out on a huge limb here, but I'm gonna posit that the number of people who have died as a result of a pie eating competition is a reasonably small amount.

Many people do things and they do them to the extreme, they really push the envelope, whether it be extreme sports, leisure activities or even academic pursuits. Why do they do them? Why aren't they content with being ordinary?

The best answer that I have is because it makes them feel good.

Just out of curiosity, if there is no designated crossing, do you not cross the street?