Why you do what you do even though it's "bad" for you.

[niolosoiale 0]

Rhyming subject line aside... I'm posting this thread in the Bonfire with full awareness that at any moment, this will have the potential to go SC'able.

Denoting the following section as contextual (unnecessary) information, disregard as desired.
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Tonight I was having a discussion with a friend of mine about why people do what they do.

Inspired by the SC: Wal-Mart thread, I was talking with him about how despite the "negatives", people will still contribute/partake of things they shouldn't for reasons which include objecting to the very thing you contribute to.
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So. Let take a look at skydiving.

1. Costly. Hell, anywhere from $1,000 - $2,000 to get through AFF, rigs costing $4,000-8,000, $25-30 for jump tickets, travel costs, don't forget beer. All this money and what do you get? The ability to jump out of a plane and hopefully land safely. Speaking of safety...

2. Dangerous. Most anything is, so skydiving is no exception. Injuries mean medical bills, which we all know is costly. It's just the nature of the game.

3. Wasteful. Think of all the more productive things you could be doing! Seriously, what can you accomplish jumping out of a plane!? You just wasted fossil fuels just to get to 10-13k ft and jump out. Greenpeace would have your head!

The 3 big ones I can think of. But the point of this thread is that these things are clearly backseat to ideas, emotions, etc that are more valuable to those who participate in skydiving than the money, the danger (while that certainly is a facet of the appeal), and the relative wastefulness of doing it.

While I'm sure many of your reasons are shared with others... I just wanted to post a thread which if not somewhat redundant, is certainly a channel to put the sometimes unspoken reasons for why you do it.

I just know I've stumbled onto something that has just the right ingredients to totally transform my way of life and how I live it. For once, I have a strong sense of direction and motivation. I have a place to go, a plan for getting there. I'm excited about the potential for self-improvement despite the upfront negatives (spending money that could theoretically be used better, danger) and honestly, I can't say I've ever felt better about my life.

Keeping this positive, I'll save my other contextual thoughts for another thread or just later on in this thread. Enough of my peronalized, esoteric, nonsensical babble. GO!

[Icon134 0]

Because its fun... and I believe the benifits outwiegh the costs...

economics pure and simple...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[soulshine 0]

I'm not sure if this is just a really long thread asking why a person jumps or if it is asking why they make any choices that they do in life.

If you're asking why I jump then my answer is very simple: I do it because it makes me happy.

If you want to know why I make any choice in life then I can't answer that, the question is entirely too broad.

Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity!
~DEVIOUS BEEF~~FGF #69~

[niolosoiale 0]

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I'm not sure if this is just a really long thread asking why a person jumps or if it is asking why they make any choices that they do in life.

Both I am wierd like that.

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If you're asking why I jump then my answer is very simple: I do it because it makes me happy.

If you want to know why I make any choice in life then I can't answer that, the question is entirely too broad.

I love the attempts to make the broad and general, specific and concise.

[Icon134 0]

Ok... so since you're being broad and general?

I haven't the foggiest... but when I figure it out... I'll be sure to let someone know...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[soulshine 0]

You asked for opinions and I gave you mine. Sorry to disappoint you with another simple and concise reply.

Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity!
~DEVIOUS BEEF~~FGF #69~

[Broke 0]

Because it tastes good

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[Icon134 0]

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Because it tastes good

mmmmm.... Ice Cream...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[Broke 0]

MMM chicken fat drippings. IT is so very bad for me, but it taste so fucking good

Edited to make more sense. Damn typos

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[unformed 0]

personally, i don't find skydiving wasteful at all. most people (whuffos) don't seem to understand this, but skydiving is not just about jumping out of an airplane. it is not just about the adrenaline rush. actually i don't even get much of an adrenaline rush anymore.

rw, freeflying, swooping, whatever your discipline, is difficult, it's takes a lot of effort and a lot of dedication to get good at it. and that, at least to me, is what skydiving is really about - about having something that is not only fun, but hard enough that you can constantly better yourself, something where you can never be absolutely perfect.

i had a discussion with one of the world freefly champions this weekend and he said the same thing. what he likes is that even though he is one of the best in the sport, there is still so much more to learn.

it's not just skydiving, I've talked to people who's addictions are other sports, and to them, it's the same thing. They can lose themselves doing it, but at the same time, there is room for constant improvement.

And when you are constantly improving, that is how the quality of life is improved.

The "bad" things in my opinion, are the things that are truly wasteful, in body and mind, rather than material resources. The two biggest that come to mind are TV and alcohol/drugs. Of course, they all have their place, but when overused there is absolutely nothing good that comes out of them.

This ad space for sale.

[wingnut 0]

it's easy to justify skydiving.....

i look at it this way.. i could be smoking crack.... but skydiving is much better for me than crack.......

______________________________________
"i have no reader's digest version"

[akarunway 1]

How old are you?. You the person that worked for Wally World?

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[PLFXpert 0]

B/c a lot of things that are "bad" for you are also "good" for you in moderation.

And b/c you only (as far as we know) live once and it's important to get the most out of your life and do everything you want to do.

Having said that, I also desire a good quality of life so I also pay attention to doing "good" things for myself, too

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[popsjumper 2]

I do crap that's bad for me because I'm a dumbass...just like all the rest of you (except Scott; he's the only one I know that doesn't do that shit...well, except for the ice cream.)

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[niolosoiale 0]

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How old are you?. You the person that worked for Wally World?

20, about to turn 21 (6/6/06).

Never worked for Wal-Mart but I did work at an IGA which went out of business. It was just a high school job so I didn't care.

[niolosoiale 0]

Excellent response.

[niolosoiale 0]

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You asked for opinions and I gave you mine. Sorry to disappoint you with another simple and concise reply.

It wasn't disappointing. I think you didn't read my post with the correct inflection. Damn text.

Last night I was just in a particular mindset about some things, and I have trouble keeping my mouth shut. Or at least some would have me believe it.

EDIT: I should probably note that I don't take the position of it being bad for anyone, but I'm speaking from the stereotypical point of view.

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Almost everything I do is strictly because I want to.I can think of no better reason.


.

[skybytch 259]

Skydiving specific answer - I wrote a few articles about various competition teams for the Nationals newsletter a few years ago. One of the questions I asked the competitors was "why skydiving"? I got one answer that really sums up why I skydive, despite the all the "negatives" you mentioned.

"Because it's hard."

General answer - I do what I do because it's what I want to do. The perceived positives generally outweigh the perceived negatives, but even when they don't I'll still do what I want to do because it's what I want to do.

The measure of my life is in the things I've done, seen and experienced. Not all of those things must be "good for me" - sometimes the things that are/were "bad for me" are the ones that I've learned and grown the most from.

[turtlespeed 212]

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Skydiving specific answer - I wrote a few articles about various competition teams for the Nationals newsletter a few years ago. One of the questions I asked the competitors was "why skydiving"? I got one answer that really sums up why I skydive, despite the all the "negatives" you mentioned.

"Because it's hard."

General answer - I do what I do because it's what I want to do. The perceived positives generally outweigh the perceived negatives, but even when they don't I'll still do what I want to do because it's what I want to do.

The measure of my life is in the things I've done, seen and experienced. Not all of those things must be "good for me" - sometimes the things that are/were "bad for me" are the ones that I've learned and grown the most from.

Hmmm - I like the answer "Because it feels good"

That is all I need - to feel good - there is enough bad in this world, and enough bullshit, that feeling good is all anyone can ever hope for. It's all in HOW you decide to make yourself feel good. Some get it from the thrill of competition, some get it from personal excellance and accomplishment. But it all boils down to what makes you feel good.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[jumpjunkie2004 0]

Why does anyone do anything?

Why own a dog?
There is a dog bite epidemic in the United States. There are almost 5 million victims annually -- about 2% of the entire population. 800,000 need medical attention. 1,000 per day need treatment in hospital emergency rooms. Between 15 and 20 die per year. Most of the victims who receive medical attention are children, half of whom are bitten in the face. Dog bite losses exceed $1 billion per year, with $345 million paid by insurance.

Why get in a car?
Auto Accident Facts:
There were an estimated 6,420,000 cars involved in accidents in the US in 2005. The cost of these accidents exceeds 230+ Billion dollars. There were about 2.9 million injury cases and 42,636 car accident deaths. An average of 115 persons die each day in motor vehicle crashes in the United States -- one every 13 minutes.

We could just all hide in our houses...

Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat...

[niolosoiale 0]

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General answer - I do what I do because it's what I want to do. The perceived positives generally outweigh the perceived negatives, but even when they don't I'll still do what I want to do because it's what I want to do.

The measure of my life is in the things I've done, seen and experienced. Not all of those things must be "good for me" - sometimes the things that are/were "bad for me" are the ones that I've learned and grown the most from.

Troof. I honestly don't believe there is anything that's bad for you, but there are probably things people would rather not experience or endure.
Doesn't matter what you do or what happens to you, ever experience makes you a person that, in one way or another, is a better person than the day before. At least that's my approach.

[Icon134 0]

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Why does anyone do anything?

Oh, oh, I've got another one...

Cause... no ones going to get out alive anyway... might as well have fun...

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[niolosoiale 0]

Quote

Why does anyone do anything?

Why own a dog?
There is a dog bite epidemic in the United States. There are almost 5 million victims annually -- about 2% of the entire population. 800,000 need medical attention. 1,000 per day need treatment in hospital emergency rooms. Between 15 and 20 die per year. Most of the victims who receive medical attention are children, half of whom are bitten in the face. Dog bite losses exceed $1 billion per year, with $345 million paid by insurance.

Why get in a car?
Auto Accident Facts:
There were an estimated 6,420,000 cars involved in accidents in the US in 2005. The cost of these accidents exceeds 230+ Billion dollars. There were about 2.9 million injury cases and 42,636 car accident deaths. An average of 115 persons die each day in motor vehicle crashes in the United States -- one every 13 minutes.

We could just all hide in our houses...

Indeed. Wouldn't be much point in that.

Probably the most annoying question I've been hearing recently is always asked in response to someone hearing I was going to or, now, went skydiving is the cliché "Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" Simple answer being "It's fun." But now I know I have other reasons which I also value and haven't got from other activities. I guess "It's fun" is easier than "It gives my life some more meaning." I think the last one weirds people out though.

EDIT: I told a couple of my friends "So I can feel something, ya know?"

[ChrisL 2]

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So. Let take a look at skydiving.

Lets not.

Just shut up and jump

__

My mighty steed