While there has been many readings in the past two weeks that have intrigued, surprised, and even compelled me in different ways, the one piece that interested me the most was definitely “Shit Happens” by Catherine Palmer. This reading, much like many of the others, examines the discourse around risk and danger, specifically in extreme sports.While many other excerpts analyzed themes such as the intrinsic value of living dangerously, or how our society needs to focus less on risk-avoidance, Palmer looks at extremity in a different light. Through analysis of two different instances where a private ‘adventure experience’ turned deadly, Palmer makes the compelling argument that “the selling of extremity, in other words, has brought fundamental changes to the social and symbolic dimensions of the activities themselves”. In other words, Palmer explains that because a sense of “risk” and “adventure” is heavily sought after in todays’ society, the people who enjoy the thrill of these incredible sports in the purest form have been pushed to the side in order to create an elusive sub-culture of highly-skilled, money-squandering ‘guides’ who cater to the requests of a highly-unskilled, yet economically advantageous populace.
This specific argument stuck out to me the most because it made me question, what exactly makes ordinary people feel the need to suddenly “be adventurous”– even to the point where their life is put to risk. Is there a universal breaking point for society that makes a person slam down their bagel during their morning commute and think, “F*** it, i’m going to go climb the Himalayas this year” or is it merely just the fact that people with considerable disposable income have the ability to fall in to the “once in a life time experience” that is marketed to them.
-DP
Living Dangerously 