UTNE READER #2

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I am responding to the article, The Joy Of Danger by Sebastian Junger. The article talks about how many people are driven by the fear that confronts them. Men are especially lured into this situation. It states that many young men seem most susceptible because they feel the need to prove themselves a man. This has been shown true of many animal species including man. The article then goes off into some anatomy lessons where details of neurotransmitters and endorphines fill the page. The chemical dopamine is left over in the brain after a terrifying experience. Dopamine is also released during sex because it is responsible for the pleasure center of the brain. This article also tells of people who have been in life-threatening situations and survived only to be willing to face the same types of situations again. Some examples were military personnel, firefighters and even gangs in large cities where the initiation is to be kicked and beaten to near unconsciousness. The moral of the story seemed to be that some people get their kicks from living on the edge.

In my opinion I think that everyone could relate to certain parts of this article. I have done many things in my life that could be considered life-threatening. This includes everything from climbing on top of water towers to driving a motorized vehicle while under the influence. Does this put me in the category of the examples given in the article? From what I hear many soldiers are under the influence of some pretty good drugs which could distort their ideas of whether life is top priority or not. Maybe the fireman is in a different situation, but I feel that we all deal with living on the edge at some time or another.

-- Anonymous, January 15, 1999

Answers

Hi Tony: I'm the new discussion facilitator. My name is John Hansen. I'm also an instructor in the Communication Department at UMD. Your observations on the Junger article are interesting. Firefighters and some military personnel have a unique outlook. In particular, firefighters look at the job as a lifestyle. Career military tend to look at risk in the same way. Some thrill may be necessary for some of us to feel challenged. Do are students need to be on the edge to learn? What are your further thoughts? John

-- Anonymous, March 03, 1999

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