Why do some folks have no appetite for adventure?
Question: Tim, I've really enjoyed your books. I always see the upside of an adventure gone wrong (most of mine) as a tale worth telling. The "no shit, there I was" stories are a staple amongst my friends. My question is, why do some folks (most folks) have no appetite for adventure? I mean adventure as fun and not the
macho-gung-ho-adrenaline-Mountain-Dew-commercial stuff I'm too old for. How can a mutual fund or a 'Skins game beat crash-landing a hang glider or a good digestive disruption in Mexico? I guess I'm wondering what the psychological predisposition of the fun-seekers is versus the rest of 'em is?
And more to the point, where are all the females? I know someone has both of them locked up in the Dakotas somewhere.
Evan in Ventura
Tim: Evan,
My experience is that there are females all over the adventure travel world. Really. Many times, training for an event — like refining my rope work for caving — I have been coached by women.
As for your major question: Why do some people prefer risk, some eschew it? Don't know exactly. I do know there's an old Scottish proverb that says, "Some men are born two drinks short of par." I think some of us are born a jolt of adrenaline short of par. Risk sport, risky adventures have a positive biochemical effect on the body. Also — and here's a thought I've
been playing with for some time — risk, especially in the wilderness, gives us back control of our own lives. We live in a society where lawyers tell us what is dangerous. Therefore, nothing is safe. We are all victims. But jump out of an airplane, and you are the only one who can pull the rip cord on your parachute. No one else. For those few moments you are totally in
control of your life. That feels good.
Best,
Tim
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