I flew hanggliders for 10 years out of San Diego and I’m scared of heights. Does that count?
We don’t do that kind of stuff because we have a death wish...we do it because we want to boast about how we did it and LIVED!
BIG difference.
I will steer clear of the common sense angle of this.
Most people, men especially find a euphoric feeling in the adrenaline rush that comes with high anxiety or fear. It is a natural rush. The fear of death also brings this chemical reaction.
Firearms guru Jeff Cooper opined:
“Few people pay much attention to the meaning of the words they use, and this does lead to a certain amount of confusion. For example, what is a “blood sport”? I have always held that a blood sport is a voluntary competitive activity in which the penalty for ineptitude may well be death or serious injury. By that definition, blood sports must include mountaineering, motor racing, the hunting of dangerous game, and certain kinds of skiing. In Britain, however, the little old ladies of all ages and both sexes regard fox hunting as a blood sport. By my definition, the blood sports are a fair test of manliness or machismo. In the British sense, the blood sports are simply the ostentatious affectations of snobs and toffs. In Britain it is currently fashionable to hate toffs - for obscure reasons.”
Some people have an understandable visceral aversion to “blood sports”; just wish they’d quit trying to interfere with others who don’t. For many, life lived without risk is life not lived; life is short, some seek to fill their time with straining the limits thereof at risk of reaching its limit by going to far or being too inept.
Excessive alcohol consumption and erections are proven to diminish brain power.
Incidentally, Hemingway later blew his brains out. Deathwish as lifestyle.
“Hold my beer”