happythoughts 0 #26 June 24, 2004 A lot of my WFFC video from last year had boobies in it. I get a lot of requests. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darius11 12 #27 June 24, 2004 The love I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #28 June 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteReplace "drive" with "skydive". That is what my whuffo friends think of watching skydiving videos. "No, wait, this is really cool...watch this part, I swear it's interesting."Good point. Those rolling eye looks are probably why I stopped 'offering' to show people some of my videos. Although, if they ask to see them....How do you get a whuffo friend to leave your house ?Say " Do you want to watch some of my skydive videos ? "Um ahhh.. not right now.. I kinda gotta get going and ahh i was just swinging by.. and..Just thought of something different : Skydivers can't take their eyes off a skydive video (especially if they are in the video). While a whuffo can easily and then start to talk about golf or fishing to bring some excitement to the conversation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjhdiver 0 #29 June 24, 2004 QuoteWhat is different about skydivers? Well, if it's me, I'm handsome, intelligent, and modest. I also have a delightful natural aroma. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrunkMonkey 0 #30 June 24, 2004 QuoteWhat is different about skydivers? Unusually high credit card debt? Constantly judging if the winds are jumpable? Still trying to figure out how to escape a crashing airliner and not get ingested by an engine/chopped in half by the tail? etc... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #31 June 24, 2004 I think that there are some subtle differneces in the way skydivers behave. If you want to talk about it on the moleculer level there are studies that have shown some form of corelation between genetics and risk taking. One abstract from the American Journal of Medical Genetics dated apr-04 suggests that there is some form of correlation between it but it only accounts for a very small portion of the population. Either way, it seems it will be a while before there is any proof to the positive or negative on that topic. The things that I think I see as diferences between skydivers and wuffos are behavioral. I don't think they have a lot to do with genetics or anything like that. You see more of a difference (edit: Difference between those around you and what is percieved as average for a group of people... think of it as a similar minded individuals taken from the population as a whole that form a concentration) because we are gathering people that all have some similar traits, a predisposition to risk for example. This causes a concentration of people with some similar attitudes about different things. Then on top of that you throw on learned behavior. When you first walk onto a DZ you don't really know what its like to be around, after a person gets used to the people, activities, and behaviors that appear to be normal for the environment they adopt the ones that fit within thier overall social mentality. Skydivers are differnt than quite a bit of the population in the amount of direct risk to life that we are willing to take to have fun, but I don't think that it is absent in the rest of society. I'm sure other "risky" activities have similar social behavior traits that skydivers do. To try and stereotype all skydivers into a few categories is a bit beyond possible. Our ages range from young to old, income levels range from "work to skydive" to those who have lots of disgressionary income. Professions include just about everything. Either way, to say that we as a social unit are not somewhat different than the greater society as a whole is just the mind trying to fit in with the rest of the world. Social groups within society do function differently and it does not mean that we are differnt from everyone else on the "personal" level. (We are all people, but even people are different from each other.) To say that it is ego that makes people suggest that we are different is not addressing the fact that there ARE some differences between the mean of behavior of skydivers and the sociatal mean. To say this would suggest that it is a bad thing that we are different from our peers which is not true. Not being able to accept the difference between individuals and/or groups is what leads to discrimination and stereotyping to begin with. It is acceptable to look at a truthfull average inside a group, this is not a stereotype and is a valid way to look at differences between people. (A stereotype of a group is an oversimplification of the people that make up the group and is an unvarying description) So to say that skydivers ARE differnt than other people is true, everyone is differnt from everyone, if you want to look at us as a social group that is not a bad thing either as long as you avoid stereotyping us and consider us as individuals or as the mean behavior of the group. /rant?~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #32 June 24, 2004 The only thing I see here is that the newbies in general (< 500 jumps more pronounce for even lower numbers) are more prone to thinking there is a special difference. The more experienced folks in general scoff at the idea. Maybe when you're new you are more impressed with yourself for skydiving. And why not be proud of your new skills? How's that for another generalization. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #33 June 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteWhat is different about skydivers? Well, if it's me, I'm handsome, intelligent, and modest. I also have a delightful natural aroma. Who are you, and what are you doing on Gareths computer? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #34 June 24, 2004 QuoteI also have a delightful natural aroma. Is that the stink that I smell when you are aroundMay your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyD 0 #35 June 24, 2004 Quoteso lets hope for a hijack soon. I like jelly beans. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjhdiver 0 #36 June 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteI also have a delightful natural aroma. Is that the stink that I smell when you are around No, that's Julie. (Probably going to wind up regretting saying that at some point) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vallerina 2 #37 June 24, 2004 Quoteare more prone to thinking there is a special difference. But there is a special difference!!! -Skydivers really know how to party!!! Oh wait...the best parties I've gone to have been with whuffos. -Skydivers really know how to live life! Hmmm....some of my friends are living out their dreams (ie being a vet down in the Caribbean), and I'm not. -Whuffos sit on the couch all day! Well, I sit on the couch with them all day during the winter, and during the summer, I don't know because I can never get ahold of them since they're always gone! I don't see much of a difference between jumpers/non-jumpers.There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #38 June 24, 2004 QuoteThe only thing I see here is that the newbies in general (< 500 jumps more pronounce for even lower numbers) are more prone to thinking there is a special difference. The more experienced folks in general scoff at the idea. Maybe when you're new you are more impressed with yourself for skydiving. And why not be proud of your new skills? How's that for another generalization. That seems like a fair observation. I would imagine it has a lot to do with trying to adjust to a new environment whereas the people who have been around are adjusted to the social traits of the group of people they hang out with and learn to care more about the person as what they are above skydiving rather than the person as a skydiver? Regardless I don't think many differences qualify as a "special" difference. A difference is a difference is a difference. Perception of what level it is or what it means is just that a perception. The "I'm cool because I skydive" feeling is just a natural part of society. Some people look for ways to differentiate themselves forfrom others so they can stand out in a crowd. I would imagine that newer jumpers (yeah, I qualify for this, though I don't perscribe to this behavior) use it asin order to seem cool and it helps motivate them or something (people have lots of different motives). More experienced people who have been around longer have gone through this phase, or seen those who have, and don't see it as a way to stand out from the crowd, they just are skydivers and don't care what it means to everyone else. Of course, thats just my opinion. I could be wrong. (-d.m.) (edit: wrong word)~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #39 June 24, 2004 QuoteI don't see much of a difference between jumpers/non-jumpers. Well, folks tend to have some sort of sport or hobby that really engulfs their lives. For us its jumping, for whuffos, its what ever whuffos tend to do, so they have their thing and do it like we do skydiving.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #40 June 24, 2004 QuoteQuoteQuoteI also have a delightful natural aroma. Is that the stink that I smell when you are around No, that's Julie. (Probably going to wind up regretting saying that at some point) I'm tellingMay your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #41 June 24, 2004 QuoteWho here hates car racing and thinks it's stupid for that matter? I do! I do! Well sort of. I can't imagine watching it on TV or paying attention to who's driving what car or anything like that, but I'd jump at the opportunity to drive one of those cars around a track myself. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #42 June 24, 2004 Well I always love a good ball game, bout the only TV I watch anyway. Who are we different than? The non-jumper? Because we all were at one point. _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #43 June 24, 2004 QuoteWhat is different about skydivers? We like skydiving, talking about skydiving, and watching other people's skydives. Non-skydivers typically don't. That's about it. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZoneRat 0 #44 June 24, 2004 Skybytch said it on post number 2. QuoteThey like to jump out of airplanes.“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
