Kornkob’s Corner

Recently I’ve been reading a lot about Richard Hammond’s crash in a race car while filming a gearhead show in the UK. They’re calling it a ‘tragedy’. Honestly I find the attention is somewhat tasteless. I mean, he did something dangerous, knowing full well it was dangerous and got hurt. That same day hundreds of people were in car accidents and many of those were acting in a perfectly safe manner and were hurt because of someone else’s negligence. But he’s a celebrity so he’s getting attention.

The week before it was Steve Erwin. Here’s a guy who goes out and *censored*s with wild animals on their turf, all the while espousing how no one watching should ever do it because it’s damn dangerous. Of course one of those critters finally got the best of him. I mean, hell, he’s had several close calls before, including at least once where he AND his wife nearly fell 100 meters into a canyon filled with hundreds of poisonous snakes. The footage is pretty scary.

To be sure– I don’t wish harm on people who elect to take risks. I do get annoyed when it is called a ‘tragedy’ though. It’s tragic when some poor kid contracts cancer or someone is shot for their wallet. When an adult indulges in risky behavior and is dealt a fatal hand, it’s unfortunate to be sure but it is not tragic. I don’t see how someone dying doing what they love can be a tragedy.

Over the years my 60 year old father has skydived, raced a car and a motorbike at the world speed trials and works in Antarctica about every other year. I worry about him every time he leaves but I know that if he burns in, fireballs or falls to the ice he’ll have been taking life in big bites. I know I’ll be sad when that day comes, as I am sure it will one day, but I know it won’t be tragic.