Risk!

People have long pondered what makes us different from other animals. Most people think that empathy is what separates humans from animals, but I disagree.

If you have read my previous blog about elephants, you will know how I witnessed a cow elephant try in vain to save calves of the herd, even though they weren't her offspring! Elephants have been seen stopping at the bones of long-dead elephants to fondle and caress them as if they were paying their respects to long lost family and friends: this is surely empathy.

I think the thing that makes us so different from other animals is risk. We are the only species that will take a risk just for fun. We are willing to put our lives and the lives of others that we love and care about at risk, just for a thrill! How many cars full of passengers have you seen hurtling down a road at full speed in bad weather? No other animal would climb a mountain in atrocious weather conditions, risking their life just to reach the top, with no gain, no,food, not for safety, but just for the hell of it.

I know people who claim that they like to play it safe, with no risk, just a quiet life. These people smoke and drink far to much, they eat food that puts lots of weight on them and they sit around with as little exercise as possible. I think I would rather take my chances with a mountain! They know the health risks involved with their lifestyle but they still pursue the lifestyle.

I know people that will bet their whole belongings on the turn of a card, while others will risk the love and respect of their families just for a chance of a quick sexual encounter with someone they don't even care about. Humans are driven by risk. We love to gamble, whereas animals don't do this. Some animals will take a risk, but only when they are starving, or when they have no other option, take a chance or certain death!

Maybe I have got this all wrong, maybe it's not the risk we like, but the boredom that we hate? What if it's actually boredom that makes people take the chances that they take? I have to admit that potholing or mountain climbing doesn't appeal to me - it's too slow and arduous. I do like speed though, but I find roller-coasters quite boring, because I feel the risk has been removed. I have multiple scars and broken bones to show for my love of stupid risks. I thought that I would grow out of it but no, I still like taking a chance on something that could go wrong. I need the thrill, and I get bored easy. I have written before how my wife claims that I'm a ten year old boy trapped in a middle aged body. But this is not true. I would do absolutely anything for a dare when I was ten. I don't do dares now!

I think my main problem is the total disregard for health and safety issues. When I worked on the building sites many years ago, health and safety wasn't practised as it is nowadays. I remember putting a roof on a house, while balancing on four milk crates on top of a scaffolding board thirty feet in the air. I still had to stand on my tiptoes to reach the ridge. The only reason I didn't add another milk crate was because I couldn't find one. But I wouldn't call this a risk (though I would call it stupid) because I didn't feel that it was unsafe or that I would come to any harm if I fell because there was so many things that would have broken my fall.

It was quite common for me to jump from a roof into piles of sand at the time. And in those days you just accepted that things went wrong on the sites and sometimes people got hurt. I think you can only claim that someone is taking a risk if they are aware of the dangers, or if they feel there is a danger.

But bravery is another matter all together. I'm not very brave at all. I have worked with lots of young people who have suffered relentless bullying, and some have decided to make a stand: this is very brave.

To face up to a problem and meet it head on even, though every fibre of your body tells you to run, is very brave. I have never been bullied, I'm too stupid to bully mentally and too big and aggressive to bully physically. I like fighting, it's my sport - not in the street, but in a ring. So I have never had to endure the fear that these people have endured on a daily basis. To decide that enough is enough and change their situation takes courage, and sometimes a risk as well.

I think the only risk that I shall take tomorrow is to go out without a coat. In Britain, this is very risky indeed!