August 3, 2007

Let me ask a question. Why when there is a tragedy are people obsessed with it but when something good happens, it gets mentioned once and is forgotten? I am sure you heard by now, on Wednesday, a bridge collapses in Minnesota, people die, cars in the river, bus full of campers survives, and always, "who is to blame?" See, and I am trying to think of something positive that we can dwell on, but I can't! Yeah, it IS a tragedy. I hate it that so many people died for something that probably could have been avoided with maintenance on the bridge.

But in the bigger picture, why are people so fascinated with tragedy? It's like why Jerry Springer was so successful, people define their lives by how bad someone else has it. I think they said something to that effect in "The Matrix." Now, mind you, I don't go looking for deep insight and revelations in Keanu Reeves movies, but it was a good point. We define our lives by our misery. If today we are less miserable than yesterday, then it is a good day. And that is to say, if we can point to someone else and say, "Wow, that sure sucks for them, I don't feel so bad about [fill in problem here]," then we must not be doing too badly. Right? it could always be worse.

Speaking of tragedy (see I do it too), did you see about that skateboarder yesterday in the X-Games. Check out this video.



How did he get up from that? He fell 40 feet and was able to "walk" away (though you could see he was going to be walking to the ambulance to take him to the hospital). Amazing. Notice, when he is free falling how he actually though about how he was going to land trying minimize his damage.

So I guess I had a pretty good day, considering I didn't fall out of a 4th story window.