The most violent element in society is ignorance. - Emma Goldman
Is that true, Emma?
It really seems that we've forgotten how to appreciate self-sufficiency.
The only way we feel recognized and valued is through standing ovations. Our adventures need to become harder, faster, better, stronger, wilder - and more dangerous.
Danger pays off. The deadly thrill kicks - and boosts our click rates.
How far do we go for some attention?
A surfer during a hurricane swell in Newport Beach in 2014
The kick of the click
Hurrican Irma that will be approaching Florida's coast in a couple of hours keeps the whole world on tenterhooks.
Millions of people were asked to leave their homes.
And even if Florida's governor hadn't been so empathic on telling them to leave the state, their natural instinct would have told them anyways: escape!
Still there were people who decided on doing the exact opposite. The 16-year-old surfer Zander Venezia and his friends were some of them.
They took their surfboards in order to ride the wave of their lives.
R.I.P. Zander Venezia
Zander Venezia was the very first victim, by default, of Hurricane Irma. He died at an age of 16 while trying to ride a swell generated by the Category Five 185mph hurricane on Barbados.
Zander was loved for being an extremely positive and kind person, he will be terribly missed.
When tragical accidents like this one happen, the first question that comes to my mind is: WHY? WHY did he need to do that?
According to the news, Zander told one of his friends in the water right before the accident:
I just got the best wave of my life!
Being a surfer by myself, I can comprehend the attraction.
Yet I wouldn't ever consider risking my life to catch 'that one wave'.
It seems that there has been a paradigm shift from intrinsic motivation to extrinsic force.
The primary driver of the thrill is not even real anymore.
One of the most famous surf movies in history is 'Point Break'. Everybody knows how it ends: the hero dies surfing 'that one wave' he was waiting for his entire life.
If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It's not tragic to die doing what you love. - Bodhi (Point Break - The Movie)
Yes he was pretty aware of the danger, but he didn't do it for his followers.
While some of the famous surf legends we know from books and movies were obsessed with the idea of seeking the ultimate swell because of spiritual reasons, nowadays there is another big driver that motivates extreme sportsmen to exceed their limits: attention.
Actually attention seeking is a natural process.
Getting attention is even necessary for life's vital enterprises. It can be the difference between life and death in a crisis.
Providing and receiving attention is part of our social instincts that are activated when we are born.
Now an extreme need for attention is not a character flaw.
According to psychologists, excessive attention seeking is a brain wiring response to early developmental trauma caused by neglect.
Newborns are extremely dependent on getting their mother’s attention for survival. The more their needs are neglected during early development the more the child equates getting attention with survival and safety. In turn, the more he or she develops the belief system that it is necessary to go to whatever lengths to get attention. (Source: Psychology Today)
How far do they go then? To death.
A Russian model crossed the line when she dangled precariously from the scaffolding of a skyscraper in Dubai
The overall excuse for insanity: "It went viral."
It almost killed me, but it went viral.
And the audience nods in agreement.
Danger of death as part of storyboards has become socially accepted.
As attention spans in digital networks get short and shorter, protagonists get desperate and more desperate.
According to Lucy Clyde, a counsellor and psychotherapist, that phenomena effects especially young people (aged 17-21) who go through a necessary narcissistic stage as they seek to find their place in society and move away from their caregivers.
Like taking huge care to get the perfect selfie as this stuff stays online forever. That’s a pretty unique pressure and it has to create a painfully pressured state of mind. This has the potential to amplify pre-existing narcism. And to some extent we all have narcissistic traits. (Source: The Guardian)
Are we able to prevent these people from putting themselves in danger?
People are looking for love in the end.
By paying attention to extremes, we push people towards dangerous situations.
The easiest way of making a difference is stopping to reward this type of content, letting people know that we love them just how they are (no matter how crazy their actions), rewarding a healthy way of self-portrayal - and teach self-esteem.
Since we're all moving ourselves in these networks on a daily basis, we need to assume responsibility and PAY ATTENTION VERY CAREFULLY.
Stay safe, steemians!
Marly -
Pictures found on ocregister.com, vimeo.com, surfertoday.com and photar.ru.