Have we grown soft or stupid?

Article theorizes that we do not have the ability to determine when we are at risk anymore. 

An article Listen to your inner voice that warns of perilous activity brings to the forefront the issue that evolution might have dulled our senses to the risks of life.

The theory postulated in the article says we do not know the risk of what we do anymore. “We can’t tell the difference between being brave and being stupid.” Any sixth sense has devolved or has is just ignored.
Richard Culver, the senior director of security services for the American division of International SOS was quoted stating “More people die white-water rafting than white-water kayaking,” he says. “But people feel safer in a raft because they are with others and it is a large flotation device. Therefore, they tend to take on bigger risks, whereas in a kayak you’re more exposed and don’t feel as safe.“”

There are more reasons for this theory, if the argument is valid. Novices go rafting, rarely do novices go kayaking in whitewater where they can drown.

Another theory put forth in the article was a group mentality idea. As humans we feel safe in a group. However we don’t have the skills to use the group to protect ourselves. Musk ox in the arctic when threatened group together with the young and vulnerable in the center of the group. Predators must face the bulls to attack an individual. Predators are able to pick off humans in the group no matter how safe they may feel because we are not thinking like a group. (And this is without the rules changing or the group changing like those groups on TV.) It is just a mass of individuals, consequently there is no protection in a group, even though we think, feel like there is.

I have several personal theories about this. In the US we have become accustomed to the governments keeping us safe or if we do get injured we get rich. On top of that our medical care has been able to bring back hundreds of people from death, most to the same life they had before their injuries. The idea that we need to protect ourselves is just gone, the government does that why should we protect ourselves.

That theory of government protection vaporizes once we leave the US. However that feeling does not. US travelers are always shocked when they are injured and instead of flight for life, a donkey shows up to transport injured travelers to the hospital. I’ve heard stories of US citizens refusing to be transported by donkey or litter believing that flight for life is on its way. There is no flight for life when there are no helicopters.

Another idea I keep bouncing around is the “I saw it on TV/magazine/online and I know I can do that too!” Every little kid who is signed up for a ski lesson first asks, “When are we going to the terrain park?” They may not be able to stand up on their skis or board, but they are ready for the X Games in their mind. That I’m ready I can do it mentality does not fade when we get older and in a few cases seems to intensify.

Whether it is keeping up with Bob next door, reliving old glories or creating new ones, we just don’t understand getting old or we fear getting old and not having accomplished anything. (Thank heavens I’ve not gotten old!)

What does this mean? If you are someone in this group, buy more health and disability insurance. Buy travel insurance and rescue insurance and be prepared….to die. If you lead trips like this you need to do a better job of informing your guests of the risks of what you are doing. We are so driven to get that dollar that we forget that we are taking neophytes (my term for idiots in some cases) into places they cannot survive on their own and may not survive with you.

See Listen to your inner voice that warns of perilous activity
 

 
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