Comebacks for skydiving criticism?

[mt_skydiver 0]

Hey all, recently at work I've been glowing about how much I love skydiving, blah blah blah and all I get from everyone is flak. Now I know most of it is just fun and games but I want some way to comeback on what they say. People are always telling me that "it's a dangerous sport" and "you only have fun because you're still alive" and "skydivers are cocky because they think they're better than everyone." I don't think that these are true, and like I said, I'm sure half of them are good ole' jokes but seriously, I need some ammo to fire back! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You'll never find me Jew gold!

[quade 3]

The best thing to do is just not talk about it.

They know you're a skydiver -- just leave it at that.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Unstable 8]

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I need some ammo to fire back!

Here, Try this one. "Yeah, Well, Just, um, go do that!!!!!"

=========Shaun ==========

[mt_skydiver 0]

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Here, Try this one. "Yeah, Well, Just, um, go do that!!!!!"

Yeah, I've used that one up already, multiple times!

You'll never find me Jew gold!

[chaoskitty 0]

I dont talk about skydiving at work unless I am asked about it. If someone says something like "Thats crazy, I would never do that!".. just smile and say, "You dont have to."
They dont have to know that we really dont want people in the air with us who don't want to be there. There are enough risks in this sport to deal with, without people freaking out and hurting us, our TM's and instructors.. (and themselves).

[quade 3]

Nothing you can say will make them understand.

That's why we call them whuffos.

It's not even worth your effort.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[AggieDave 6]

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That's why we call them whuffos.

It's not even worth your effort.

That sums it up.

If they want to jump, your friends know you jump, they'll ask you about it. Otherwise you're just going to have to put up with stupid whuffo questions and judging.

Also, not *everyone* should skydive, I'm a firm believer in that. There's a lot of people who do a skydive who will never understand even after a jump, there's some that will become a skydiver and there are some who shouldn't even try.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[slug 1]

Hi Mt

I agree with everyone else, other people don't need to know, as long as your having fun that's what counts.

OTOH if the cats already out of the bag maybe just respond "different strokes for different folks, some folks get off on collecting stamps, coins, bowling, shuffle board snow boarding, bike rideing (make up your own stupid list) its all about whatever makes you happy. You just happen to enjoy jumping out of airplanes. It's all about what you enjoy doing.

Everyone enjoy's doing something.

R.I.P.

[mt_skydiver 0]

Thanks guys, that really helped, I just didn't know how to handle it, now I know at least a little better! Thanks!

You'll never find me Jew gold!

[feuergnom 22]

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skydivers are cocky because they think they're better than everyone

that is certainly an attitude i have never come across


as long as (the majority of) skydivers refers to non-jumpers as whuffos most of the time & as long as almost everybody is bragging about how great a community "we" are i'm not at all surprised if skydivers leave this impression

sure - it's a great sport
sure - you meet great people out there

but – being a skydiver doesn't make you a better person if you are a jerk you remain a jerk. even as a skydiver

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[talon2 0]

I agree with Quade,However your enthusiasm,and accomplishment s is going to doom you to keep fielding whuffo Qs..........One I always love is "If we were meant to fly we would have wings"....The answer ? "If we were meant to stay on the ground we would have roots" Got that off my instructor many years ago.
Mike

[bigway 4]

Just dont talk about it. i hate telling people that i jump cause the amount of questions you get...i have been backpacking for 8 years on and off. constantly meeting new people that travell every day. i try not to tell them what i do cause after three years of jumping the questions still have not changed and it just sounds like repeat conversations.
"how do you know when a skydiver is in a bar??"

"he will tell you!"

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[happythoughts 0]

Q is right, they aren't going to understand.

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People are always telling me that "it's a dangerous sport"

It is. It can kill you. Don't argue the point with them.

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"you only have fun because you're still alive"

Ask them to look out over the parking lot at work. Tell them to imagine floating up 20 ft and drifting around. Tell them to imagine leaving work one day and then lifting off and flying home. Ask them if they'd enjoy flying around.

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"skydivers are cocky because they think they're better than everyone."

Skydivers have conquered a personal fear. Other people have overcame other things. It does make you a better person. Not better than them, but better than you were.

[Fast 0]

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Skydivers have conquered a personal fear. Other people have overcame other things. It does make you a better person. Not better than them, but better than you were.

Yeah, I have to agree with that. At least for me skydiving has changed my outlook on things and what I can do. Opens up more posibility to me. It didn't make me 'better' than anyone other than the pre-skydiving me. Some of my attitudes, mannerisms, views of things have changed as a result of the things I have experienced over the last year. (But, it doesn't make me better than anyone else)



I agree with what everyone else has said. Most people just don't get it and probally never will, and thats fine. I don't bring it up with people I work with, they bring it up with me. My office is shared space in a converted conference room and there aren't windows as a result I have plastered my working area with pictures. The ones who bring it up do so because they think the pictures look cool and the people I share the room with often as me how my weekend was (as I do them) but I don't blab on about this or that with anyone really.

~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

[rjoseph14k 0]

Try not to tell anybody what you do for fun. I myself try to keep it under wraps. In my line of work(Naval Construction Force) most of the guys or gals spend they're weekends chasings around various types of balls or trying to out smart an underwater animal with the IQ of a rock. They just end up asking very stupid questions like "can you have sex while skydiving"?

[freeflybella 0]

Back in "the day", we actually bought a friend of ours a t-shirt.

In big bold letters it read DID I MENTION I SKYDIVE?

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[JohnMitchell 14]

One day a coworker was giving me smack, how he felt bad that my kids were growing up thinking skydiving was normal. I told him I felt bad for his kids. He got a puzzled look and said "Why?" I told it was 'cause his kids were growing up thinking fishing was exciting.

He actually agreed with that.

Seriously, give 'em some space at work. Soon you'll find them asking you about jumping and stuff. You can even invite them out to just watch. Some of them will even end up jumping.

[skybill 19]

Hi MT,
Read chaoskitty's post a few down, she sums it up to the "T!" As for snappy comebacks for these skydiver/whuffo encounters, perhaps someone can start a thread to find out which comebacks work the best, etc. Whenever a whuf confronts me about my skydiving,"Man that's dangerous, you can get killed, man that's unsafe...drone...drone..!!" "How long you been doin' that skydiving stuff???" When I say,"40 years." There's usually a short silence. They can't figure out how come I'm not dead yet!!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[jlmiracle 7]

I have found out that most of the Wuffo's that are giving you a hard time are very intimidated by the fact that you jump out of an airplane for FUN!

My general response is "some people spend their weekend golfing, I spend mine skydiving. It's not for everyone".

Judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[catfishhunter 1]

I just tell them it ain't for everyone thats why theres bowling

When really pressed I just say there is no way I could ever explain it to them, if they really want to know why i jump out of airplanes they really should call the DZ and go for a tandem and I will even come fly with them. Or if they are really scared of jumping out I tell them to taek a spectator ride. I have bought several of my friends rides and they are saving the $$$ to go for a tandems which they swore they wouldn't do. I think the plane ride down scared them so bad they wished they would have jumped with the rest of us

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[Snowbird 0]

I do sales, and I use skydiving as an identifier. I'm 'the chick at IVMA who skydives' and it works for me in that capacity.
When my customers comment that I must be crazy or something, I usually say, "Thanks! I'll take that as a compliment!" Generally, they are all cool about it, some even ask how my weekend was and the like.

Like I said, it works to my advantage.

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

[airtwardo 6]

I tell 'em~



...The last time I got out, my probation officer suggested I take up a hobby that REQUIRED clothing...
The shrinks said to join some kind of a 'group' to belong to...

It's GREAT!
A gravity sport...no effort involved!
Skiing's to cold...and I'm tooo lazy to GOLF!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mattjw916 2]

I have already given up trying to explain it and I only just started ASP...

People who won't jump will just never understand I guess.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[unformed 0]

I just tell them, "guess what? i guarantee you 100% that you're going to die." Alright, so I might die earlier, but I'll have a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

But in the end, they don't understand. But if they ask, and are genuinely interested, answer their questions. A few might want to come out and just watch. The rest could care less, and get their thrills from shopping. So be it.

This ad space for sale.

[turtlespeed 212]

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Hey all, recently at work I've been glowing about how much I love skydiving,

As you should!

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blah blah blah and all I get from everyone is flak. Now I know most of it is just fun and games but I want some way to comeback on what they say. People are always telling me that "it's a dangerous sport"

It is. But then so is everything with the definition of sport. Hell - LIFE is a dangerous sport.

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and "you only have fun because you're still alive"

Well - it IS technically true. . . (Comeback for this would be :"but you don't know how much I live when I jump")

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and "skydivers are cocky because they think they're better than everyone." I don't think that these are true,

NO, they are right - well, half right - we're not always cocky, but, we ARE better than everyone else - get over it - it's just the way nature works.

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and like I said, I'm sure half of them are good ole' jokes but seriously, I need some ammo to fire back! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Asking a skydiver why he does it, you'll get a responce of " You'll have to do it to understand it" and when you do you'll look at the jumper that you asked before and say - yeah - I get it - and won't be able to explain it to anyone else.

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