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Safety in Stunts

La Femme Fatale

La Femme Fatale

The Queen
Moderator
This was a discussion I had with a couple co-workers the other night with regards to a publicized stunt that's going down in my area on the 15th. I don't know if any of you have heard of it, but on June 15th, Nik Wallanda (who apparently is like, the 7th generation of a family of stunt performers) is walking over Niagara Falls on a tight-rope. Things were pretty crazy in Niagara Falls... up until the point where his sponsers insisted he wear a safety harness. Now, the interest in the stunt has somewhat disappated.

Which is fine for me because I didn't understand all the hype in the first place - I wasn't planning on watching it either way - not interested. But I am kind of intrigued by the plethora of human nature questions this brings up. Does wearing a safety harness defeat the purpose of a stunt? Why are we so into stunts in the first place? Do people want to see him make it across, or see him fall? What does it mean about ourselves in general that many people are suddenly less interested once the possibility of death has been removed from the equation?
 
Perhaps because the last time was more than a hundred years ago? The Niagara Parks Commission has usually declined all applications for stunts around the falls.
 
La Femme Fatale said:
Perhaps because the last time was more than a hundred years ago? The Niagara Parks Commission has usually declined all applications for stunts around the falls.
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But what does it being 100 years ago change? I mean...I just don't understand the hype I suppose...If it's been done before, what is this guy trying to prove...I'd wanna do something that's NEVER been done...Or try to succeed at something that's been failed at a million times...
 
I think people want to watch to say that they were there and because it's something interesting. It's kind of crazy, but then again, humans are kind of crazy. So it's nothing new as far as why people want to see it or why the guy is doing it in the first place. They'll mourn if he doesn't make it and then dies and they'll cheer and applaud if he does make it. A feat accomplished by an ordinary human with extraordinary heart and survival skills. People love a hero.
 
KennedyKiller said:
But what does it being 100 years ago change? .
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Well, come on friend, this isn't rocket science we're talking about here... it hasn't been done in 116 years, no living person has ever actually seen it done live, and people want the 'thrill' of seeing it live. Duh. I get that part of it. My question was why are people spending this much money on it (and less when 'death' is removed out of the equation) and what do they really get out of either this or just stunts in general...
 
La Femme Fatale said:
Well, come on friend, this isn't rocket science we're talking about here... it hasn't been done in 116 years, no living person has ever actually seen it done live, and people want the 'thrill' of seeing it live. Duh. I get that part of it. My question was why are people spending this much money on it (and less when 'death' is removed out of the equation) and what do they really get out of either this or just stunts in general...
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When I said what I said about it being 100 years old, I wasn't getting at the thrill of OTHER people seeing it though...I was mainly trying to ask what this guy thinks he's proving...Or what is he TRYING to prove...I just don't understand why he's doing it...
 
People are sick and subconsciously want the guy to fall. Humans have this thing... where they want to watch the demise of a single human being for their own satisfaction/gratification. This is why you see so many celebrities going downhill and no one helping them, because it's all 'entertainment'.

There's tons of people who want chaos and nothing more, just ask 'The Joker', but in all seriousness I'm pretty sure there's a 'complex' or name for this. I remember reading about it in psychology. Everyone is guilty of it, if I were watching I'd be thinking about him falling, but not be satisfied by this thought, but more so... nervous/excited? It would be exciting because you don't know if he'll make it 100% and his life is on the line, literally. That makes it more exciting, when there's harnesses involved, and if he falls then well... He can always get back up and try it again. ;)


That's why, even through thousands of years of evolution, were still very much so primal. I won't be surprised if by the end of my lifetime people will bring back gladiator games. Reality shows are getting pretty crazy lately. :P
 
I think people want to be impressed and having the guy wear a safety harness so, what, he can't fall takes away the excitement. I don't think most people want to seem him fall, but the possibility of him falling made the stunt alluring. A lot of people are drawn toward things that are dangerous after all.

I don't care about the stunt either. If you want to impress me, stay awake during a Catholic mass.
 
Meg said:
I don't care about the stunt either. If you want to impress me, stay awake during a Catholic mass.
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I can easily stay awake during a Catholic mass (especially with all the smells and bells!)... You should try an Orthodox mass if you think Catholic Masses are long. LOL With an Orthodox mass you stay on your feet for a good 3 hours... and that's IF the Priest isn't long winded... which he is. By the end of the mass you're too hungry to even socialize and go straight to the Waffle House! :P
 
Haha - spelling mistakes ftw! Nah, it was not intentional...silly me :oops:
 
I think it comes down to mans unhealthy relationship with Death.

High risk stunts that have a higher likelyhood of death, i think trigger the same curiosity we see when people rubber neck at car crashes on the side of the road.

Plus there is the side of man which likes to think he can get one over Death, like the ancient Greeks liked to tell tales about man getting one over the Gods.

I don't think many people would tune in to see a man build a pyramid on a table...lock him in a small room and get him to build one ontop of a sleeping grizzly Bear whilst the man has steak tied to him......then you'll find the Subscriptions increase.

Personally, if its been done before then am not interested. If he plans on tighroping between earth and the moon....then i'll watch.
 
KennedyKiller said:
When I said what I said about it being 100 years old, I wasn't getting at the thrill of OTHER people seeing it though...I was mainly trying to ask what this guy thinks he's proving...Or what is he TRYING to prove...I just don't understand why he's doing it...
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People generally like to set goals for themselves based on their own interests and occupation. I imagine NF is a pretty big gig for people who do this as a profession and if he makes it across he's the only living person who can say he did. I don't understand why he shouldn't do it just because it's been done before... I want to get my Masters, but millions of people before me have already gotten their Masters... should that sway me from setting that as a goal for myself?

Storyofmylife said:
People are sick and subconsciously want the guy to fall. Humans have this thing... where they want to watch the demise of a single human being for their own satisfaction/gratification. This is why you see so many celebrities going downhill and no one helping them, because it's all 'entertainment'.

There's tons of people who want chaos and nothing more, just ask 'The Joker', but in all seriousness I'm pretty sure there's a 'complex' or name for this. I remember reading about it in psychology. Everyone is guilty of it, if I were watching I'd be thinking about him falling, but not be satisfied by this thought, but more so... nervous/excited? It would be exciting because you don't know if he'll make it 100% and his life is on the line, literally. That makes it more exciting, when there's harnesses involved, and if he falls then well... He can always get back up and try it again. ;)


That's why, even through thousands of years of evolution, were still very much so primal. I won't be surprised if by the end of my lifetime people will bring back gladiator games. Reality shows are getting pretty crazy lately. :p
Click to expand...

I think it comes down to mans unhealthy relationship with Death.

High risk stunts that have a higher likelyhood of death, i think trigger the same curiosity we see when people rubber neck at car crashes on the side of the road.

Plus there is the side of man which likes to think he can get one over Death, like the ancient Greeks liked to tell tales about man getting one over the Gods.

I don't think many people would tune in to see a man build a pyramid on a table...lock him in a small room and get him to build one ontop of a sleeping grizzly Bear whilst the man has steak tied to him......then you'll find the Subscriptions increase.

Personally, if its been done before then am not interested. If he plans on tighroping between earth and the moon....then i'll watch.
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Great answers!
 
Without the harness it definitely seems more entertaining.. but just because he has it on doesn't mean it's any less daring. The same dangers still apply and death/injury is still very possible. Whether it interests me or not, I applaud this man. Do you not realize the distance he's going to walk while balancing on a small wire that I am almost certain will be wet? I know people who can't walk that distance on pavement without bitching to sit down. More power to this guy!

Story and VP hit the nail on the head. Deep down humans have a desire to see some one fall. We love watching someone become a martyr or watching a hero fall, even when it's not admitted.
 
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