Everyone's weather apps showed unbelievably low temperatures and crazy numbers in the forecast (above is what we're looking at right now, on the other end of the VORTEX!). People discovered that boiling water evaporates instantly in such cold air. And news stories and online articles warned us that exposed skin could almost instantly become frostbitten in some places, that car tires and engines could fail in the cold, and that people were stranded on roadsides after spinning out or getting buried in the ice and snow.
Monday, I sat in my apartment, with school called off where I work, alongside my girlfriend, whose graduate school classes were cancelled. And despite all of this, we wondered, "how bad is it really outside?" We looked out the windows and saw more people than we thought we'd see, walking or driving despite the chill.
Even with all the warnings regarding the weather, we still wanted to go outside, just for a little bit, to see what it was really like. And isn't that so human?
The waiter puts your plate on the table and tells you it's hot, but you still touch it. Your friend tells you their food tastes weird, and you want to try it. Your buddy tells you about a nasty knee injury from a football game, and you jump on Google to track down the video and watch.
Even when we're cautioned about potentially dangerous or painful results and consequences, we take a swing anyway. For whatever reason, as humans, we're wired to want the experience for ourselves. We want to take in, with as many of our senses as possible, the first-hand encounter with a hot plate, weird food, or seeing nasty injuries. We don't laugh as hard at the stories that we're told because so many of them are about "you had to be there moments."
The positive side of this human impulse is our curiosity, our sense of adventure. We're willing to climb a hill and risk injury and exhaustion to catch the view and see what's on the other side. We do experiments to discover new medicines even if the chemistry may be explosive. And hey, someone had to be the first to try that juice that comes out of the pink things hanging of off cows, otherwise we wouldn't have milk.
The danger comes when we don't appreciate the risks involved with our inquisitiveness, or otherwise confront and dismiss those potential or likely consequences. This moves some to try drugs or heavy drinking, despite the warnings of hangovers, addiction, and serious medical, mental, and other problems. Some get sexually promiscuous or otherwise overly exploratory in their sexual escapades, despite the dangers of STI's as well as the way it causes us to objectify people and hurt ourselves and others mentally and emotionally.
The key, with all things, is moderation. Gather your proper gear and climb the hill that's a little steeper and taller than you think you can handle, so you push yourself but minimize the risk of injury. Have a drink or two, but don't get close to blacking out, or drink until you're puking your guts out; designate a driver and keep yourself under control where you don't need to force others to babysit you. Pursue and date people that you're interested in, seek a stable relationship, and express yourself sexually with another person in a way appropriate to your state of life.
We have to find ways to satisfy our curiosity without putting ourselves in a position where we'll likely or certainly hurt ourselves or others. If you want to venture out into the extreme cold, you have to bundle up as best you can and limit your time outside. Go get the experience for yourself, and let your senses soak it in so you can own it for yourself. And if you ignore the warnings and dangers, you're bound to get frostbitten.
No comments:
Post a Comment