We've all done stupid things. All humans do throughout the ages. I have definitely. Some things that even now I'm amazed I survived.
Absolutely true.
I did stupid, risky things to 'impress' my immediate chums. I (sort of) knew they were stupid, at the most basic level, but I did them because of my desire to impress/amuse/fit in with my peer group.
E.G. For my 18th birthday, I drank (and survived) 18 pints of snakebite. At the time, it was "one of those things". Obviously, I survived. It was a dumb thing to do. But why did I do it? I repeat the reasons listed above.
The current generation do equally stupid things. But why? Even when we're allegedly more intelligent, more aware of the risks.
The advent of social media it's "changed the odds".
Firstly, it puts pressure on folks to do stupid things in order to gain a transient pleasure at being "famous".
Secondly, it advertises clearly the consequences of doing stupid things - right up to the point of lethality.
The question comes about the balance between these two factors.
It's not a matter of gloating over these avoidable deaths.
It's a matter of asking why these things are done especially when the fatal results are widely publicised.
If you do something, knowing the risks, that ends up with you dying then the responsibility is yours.
But when something is obviously lethal, that - on balance - you will be injured or die, then why do it? Especially when it's linked to some transient and facile notion of fame.
People have survived with a nail being hammered into their head. It's a special kind of stupid that makes you want to be recorded hammering a nail into your head to be videoed and put up on TicTok.
Doing something irresponsible is what we've all done. Doing something obviously fatal is for the stupid.
It depends on what people are doing obviously.
Someone slipping off a cliff whilst taking a selfie is one thing, That's an accident, and most of those people don't think they are participating in a life and death activity. Remember there are countless YouTube comedy shows that celebrate bloopers. So if you fall off a boat or into a river you'll just end up with a cool YouTube hit.
Doing something very dangerous is something else. Dangerous and possibly lethal activities have not been helped by free-climbers, extreme-parkour enthusiasts, base jumpers, etc. Most of the "experts" learn their bloody stupid craft over a number of years. However, once it's out there you get kids thinking "I could do that" and they can't. There is a mountain biker who does extremely dangerous jumps, etc. I used to think he was amazing now I think he's just a bit of a dick.
Many of the leading lights in these activities eventually end up dead and it's romanticized just like rock stars are for OD'ing. They are immortal and they'll never age.
"
At least Jeff was doing what he loved" bullshit that tries to legitimize the fact that he has destroyed his family and romanticized a deadly activity is universal when one of these people die.
Back in the day stuntmen the likes of Eval Kneival, (what a stupid name), and Eddie Kidd, (who is partially paralyzed with brain damage btw), were minor celebs and curiosities. Teenagers mostly didn't aspire to be them. Younger kids would try and replicate stuff with a plank of wood and some bricks on bikes but that would result in falling off and hurting yourself and not doing that again.
Things are not like that anymore.
The YouTube generation gives everyone the chance to be someone and that's all the kids aspire to these days. Be someone, get noticed. It's more than just a transient pleasure. If you get hits on whatever platform you become someone. This is why kids do this stuff - they want to be someone. This has been the result of 20 years of pushing the cult of celebrity. Even relatively safe activities such as streaming yourself gaming can lead to fame and riches. It isn't transient and facile to them. Quite the opposite it can be a ticket to fame and fortune with minimal effort.
I really don't think we older people get the pull of the need to be noticed.
A lot of these dangerous activities are quite solitary which differs from the stupid stuff we used to do. When I was younger and doing stupid stuff It would be with a group of mates. At least one would be slightly sensible and mature enough to say "hang on" if we were really pushing the limit. Thus jumping off things, falling off bikes and skateboards could and did result in injury but not death.
The ones that did die from my generation were usually the result of drug or alcohol-related issues or driving under the influence.
