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NorrinRadd

Negative reactions to the sport

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airdvr

Soon enough you'll learn to avoid telling people about jumping.



True. Lots of people go though the phase of "Nice to meet you, I'm Zach..... and I skydive!"

Drives me a little crazy, but I guess most new jumpers go through it.

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Sir: I haven't. I've received the opposite.
My first wife's current husband, one of my best friends (because she's his responsibility now) recently made his first jump (tandem) at age 58.
But, my "husband-in-law" called me FIRST to report his tandem jump because he understood the connections/the heritage/the real meaning.
I was genuinely happy for him. He had broken out into life.
He enjoyed it because he connected with something he hadn't connected with before, be it my background, or his father's (who worked for "Wild Bill" Donovan" in WW2), or his uncle (509th in WW2: two combat jumps).
Embrace the people who embrace life.

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Many people who have lived on this old planet haven't really lived at all. They've existed, but they haven't lived to enjoy the art of flying without an aircraft. Too bad for them, they really don't know what they have missed.

They have in many ways, wasted their time on earth. Not to say skydiving is the only worthwhile thing one can do, but it sure comes close to that category.

I feel sorry for them....they really haven't lived at all.




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I looked for ages to find this documentary a while ago... About Karina Hollekim and part of her journey into BASE, recovering from an injury, et cetera.

20 seconds of joy

I watched it and thought it was totally inspiring... Then I read the comments (not from this link - another streaming site which I can't find anymore)... I was shocked by all the negativity from wuffos... People saying she obviously had a death wish and people saying she was a waste of rescue resources and a drain on health-care providers and anger that her medical care was paid for by hard-working tax payers (as opposed to irresponsible thrill-seakers)... :S:S Wow... So much hate for someone pursuing her dream...

Some people just don't "get it"... And they never will.

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

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Hi Nataly,

Quote

Some people just don't "get it"...



I live within 1 1/2 hour drive of Mt. Hood. Almost every year there is a rescue or two of people on the mountain. And it does cost us taxpayers money. And some people do complain.

My 91-yr old mother thinks that people should not be allowed to climb the mountain. Then I tell about when I climbed it back in 1984 and she says, 'Why would you want to do that?'

I just leave it at that, :S

JerryBaumchen

PS) Photo attached is me on the top.

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FlyingRhenquest


Just look them in the eye and quietly tell them "I am not afraid."



I had people tell me I was insane to do the tandem jump. I told them I was scared spitless, but the desire was greater than the fear. And I am so glad I got brave finally in my 40s. I won't be starting training until next year, but I was told today that my face is radiant telling people about my experience. I don't think I will ever be able to say "I am not afraid," but I sure hope to be able to say that I conquered some fears! :)
At the beginning of a beautiful journey!

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Quote

Do you folks ever get these?



Not any more: I never raise the subject with people who don't already know. If they don't know it, they can't say their stupid shit to me about it.

Occasionally I'll happen to overhear a whuffo say something painfully ignorant and/or judgmental about skydiving. Takes me a lot of discipline to just STFU, but I usually manage to.

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Apples and oranges.

The world needs them both.

But be happy you're an orange ;)

It's great when people recognize their ignorance and embrace their curiosity, even if it's only intellectual. However, the majority won't. Especially in the presence of fear.

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Nataly

I looked for ages to find this documentary a while ago... About Karina Hollekim and part of her journey into BASE, recovering from an injury, et cetera.

20 seconds of joy

I watched it and thought it was totally inspiring... Then I read the comments (not from this link - another streaming site which I can't find anymore)... I was shocked by all the negativity from wuffos... People saying she obviously had a death wish and people saying she was a waste of rescue resources and a drain on health-care providers and anger that her medical care was paid for by hard-working tax payers (as opposed to irresponsible thrill-seakers)... :S:S Wow... So much hate for someone pursuing her dream...

Some people just don't "get it"... And they never will.



I'm an ER doc... I can show you the human waste that overutilizes medical resources with their drug problems; with their obesity, sloth, and laziness; with their smoking. Adventure sports probably represent less than 0.000000000000001 cents on the dollar of healthcare. One fatty with diabetes because they sit and watch TV from their house all day soaks up enough health dollars for ALL our misadventures and occasional rescues.

What are wasted resources? Diseases of society. If people put the needle or pipe down, got some exercise, put down the Cheetos (mmmm... i love those though...) and maybe got a thrill from LIVING... only THEN would we not have as much waste.

I could go on and on... that statement would piss me off.
You are not the contents of your wallet.

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I've gotten judgmental comments from people who've done tandems themselves. It's like really? Did you just forget about your tandem excursion?

Some people will definitely judge you, I never bring it up myself per se, but it's really hard to not mention it when someone at work asks you "so what are you doing this weekend?" You're freaking working all week can't wait to skydive and then someone asks you something like that it's hard not to reveal your adrenalin seeking behaviors! Then of course everyone at work knows what you do after that.

In the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter what people think about you as long as they are not in a position of power over you, if it's a co-worker or social acquant. it doesn't matter, but if they control your pay or something like that you gotta be careful with how you handle it.

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Andy9o8

Quote

it's really hard to not mention it when someone at work asks you "so what are you doing this weekend?"



It's not hard at all. Just don't mention it, truth be damned.



"heading out of town and seeing some friends" would work in a pinch
cavete terrae.

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I just read my signature OUT LOAD to the narrowminded.



AND, those peoples are most likely the ones watching sports, not doing it. Couch potatoes, with comment on everything.
You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is.
Davelepka - "This isn't an x-box, or a Chevy truck forum"
Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD.

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chemist

it's really hard to not mention it when someone at work asks you "so what are you doing this weekend?"



Lol - I tell them I'm going camping (we pitch a tent at the dz) which is far too hard core for most of the people I know at work :D.
A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

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grue

***

Quote

it's really hard to not mention it when someone at work asks you "so what are you doing this weekend?"



It's not hard at all. Just don't mention it, truth be damned.



"heading out of town and seeing some friends" would work in a pinch

Exactly.

And to the OP: Talking (or not) to whuffos about skydiving sometimes progresses in phases, from telling people spontaneously; to telling them only if you're asked a question; to leaving visual or verbal "hints"; to hardly ever mentioning it; to never mentioning it at all, even if, say, provoked by dumbass comments about some incident, etc.

This over-simplifies it a bit, but generally the only real way to avoid the insufferable conversations is to completely avoid - even evade - any discussion of skydiving with whuffos or even letting them know that you've ever skydived. You either make the choice to do that, or you don't.

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grue

***

Quote

it's really hard to not mention it when someone at work asks you "so what are you doing this weekend?"



It's not hard at all. Just don't mention it, truth be damned.



"heading out of town and seeing some friends" would work in a pinch

depends where you work what you do, I just got my A license so it's harder to contain my enthusiasm and I just want to tell people. I haven't been judged by anyone at work... yet...

btw, what's a wuffo?

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potatoman

I just read my signature OUT LOAD to the narrowminded.



AND, those peoples are most likely the ones watching sports, not doing it. Couch potatoes, with comment on everything.



I don't even think some of those athletes are athletic let alone the fans, mainstream American sports don't really require much physical effort.

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Alternatively you can share your passion and talk about why skydiving/base is fascinating. I have not had many experiences where the person I talked to didn't leave the conversation with a degree of fascination for the sport. I'd rather talk about skydiving over and over again then my college degree/weather or some such. Then again, most social interaction is insufferable due to its repetitive nature anyways.

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So far, for the most part, I have found it to be a great source of conversation. Most people ask me questions about it, want to know more. Some people simply shake their heads and say that it is not for them.
When I get a really negative reaction, it just gives me the opportunity to refine my group of friends.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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I sadly made the mistake last year of notifying anyone and everyone I could about starting skydiving. If I could, I would take it back and keep it a secret.
"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts

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Kinda difficult when your whole cupboard is filled boogie shirts.....and haven't bought anything else for the last 10 years. Why waste jump money?

;)

You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is.
Davelepka - "This isn't an x-box, or a Chevy truck forum"
Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD.

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