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Comment by blazespin | Hacker News Reader

This wasn't sentimentality, it was just adrenaline junkies justifying themselves.

I really do get why people cave dive and do dangerous things. It's a lot of fun. But really, at the end of the day, they did this because it was a rush. There's no other rational reason to do something to risk your life doing someone your friends just died doing for no other reason than it was exciting.

lol, go ahead and downvote. I do a lot of adrenaline rush type activities, but I've never tried to pretend it was anything other than just dumb, life risking adrenaline pumping distraction from life.

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A couple of years ago someone died on a mountainbike trail I use. This can really spook people, even those of us who didn't know the guy. Ultimately people want that feeling to go away and be able to enjoy the sport without such things hanging over them. It felt like people wanted closure so that the fun could continue rather any deeper sentiment.

Also I think that these sport are about more than just adrenalin. There is joy in mastering the difficulty without getting a rush.

"But really, at the end of the day, they did this because it was a rush"

Diving isn't really compatible with "a rush", especially not cave or other technical diving. You have to be focused, methodical and patient. It's more meditative than anything, you can't even breath too quickly without risk. While still having to keep track of a lot of things. In "rush" type of activities it's the sensation of almost losing control that is fulfilling, while in technical activities like this it's rather the sensation of being in control.

Not a diver myself, but I cannot imagine you could do any diving, and particularly this kind of diving, in an adrenaline rush. The fascination must be much, much deeper.

For cave divers, I am convinced that the other divers would quickly dispose of a team member who looks like he (or she) is not acting super calm.

so what is life, if not some boring stuff around adrenaline pumping distractions? you do not hold the key to the proper way of living other people's lives.

sorry for my bad english and for feeding a troll.

I wish people think twice before calling troll. That word has so lost it's original meaning, and is now a days used to shoot down any dissenting opinions.

I say this as someone who 100% agree with the first part of your comment.

I think you are right. My troll detector was triggered by the request for downvotes.

I scuba dive, and I am definitely interested in cave diving. I will tell you that I am not at all doing these things for any adrenaline rush, in fact scuba diving feels like such a slow paced and calm sport that I do not even think of it when I think adrenaline rush. I've also done skydiving. Skydiving I would definitely consider an adrenaline junkie kind of sport though and am happy to admit this.

I no longer skydive. I switched because I find the joy in exploring the underwater, a place that most people never get to see. And exploring caves is something that VERY few people ever see, and that is a truly amazing experience.

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