Is this rational?

[JMeganSnow]

That's true, but another factor is that in most of these activities you are primarily dependent on yourself. While driving your safety is largely dependent on all of the other idiots out there.

I don't know about "largely" . . . it's been my overall experience that safe drivers have an incredibly low proportion of accidents, but that's based strictly on people I know. I've only heard of a very few completely unpredictable accidents where the innocent person was the one killed. I'm not saying they don't happen, but I suspect they're incredibly rare compared to any other kind of accident.

[JMeganSnow]

Things that are difficult and dangerous make me feel more focused. More acute, I guess. To me, this hyper awareness and full engagement makes life seem like more no matter where you start from.

Sure, that's true--but I get that same feeling from video games. The feeling can be enjoyable as recreation, but ideally you want to take risks that gain you something other than just a rush. I prefer not to risk actual death and dismemberment as a part of my recreational activities.

[Jake_Ellison]

A possible reason to do base-jumping:

I don't do it, so I'm speaking outa' my ass, but being a base-jumper to me seems like an act of extreme selfishness: they are removing themselves from a society in which everyone is expected to depend on his fellow men, independence is frowned upon, and for a few minutes are putting themselves in a situation where their life literally and in a very accentuated way is in only their hand. For a few minutes they can experience ultimate, unadulterated freedom that simply isn't available to most people in their regular lives. (i.e. the descrition Ayn Rand gave when Dagny and Rearden are riding the engine of the first train on the John Galt line).

In that sense it's not that it feels good, but that it is right that it feels good. It is my opinion that, to the extent that what I said applies, good for them, in fact they are worthy of being admired.

Obviously, Dagny and Rearden were right in relying on their minds and skill, when riding across that bridge at (was it?) 100 mph. These guys are often wrong, they are overestimating their abilities and relying on luck. When they do that, they are irrational.

[aequalsa]

So I guess it boils down to different strokes for different folks? I don't need to unnecessarily risk my life to appreciate, respect or enjoy life or "the good", but evidently, some do. At least they provide entertainment for the rest of us.

That's very possible. People process stress hormones differently. Another consideration is evaluation of risk based on past experiences and personal capacities. When I see a good climber doing something outside of my range, it looks really dangerous to me. When I do things which look dangerous to others, it feels very safe to me.

[aequalsa]

Sure, that's true--but I get that same feeling from video games. The feeling can be enjoyable as recreation, but ideally you want to take risks that gain you something other than just a rush. I prefer not to risk actual death and dismemberment as a part of my recreational activities.

I've played video games and it is not the "same" feeling. There may be similarities depending on the game from which you can intuit the feeling, but to consider it the same experience would a mistake. Back rubs feel good and sex feels good but back rubs are not sex.

[SD26]

I've played video games and it is not the "same" feeling. There may be similarities depending on the game from which you can intuit the feeling, but to consider it the same experience would a mistake. Back rubs feel good and sex feels good but back rubs are not sex.

Agreed. I enjoy video games too, but it doesn't compare to doing it. Costs less, but there is no preparation for the actual risk of doing a real task.

Sims is a video game. It's not real life.