Whuffos ignorance...

[hillson 0]

DcloudZ

It's about the thousands of hours, all of the money, the numerous sacrifices that I've made to participate in this sport and to continuously evolve and push myself to get better; all of that...

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It's not about HEY look at me I skydive.

I think that those two statements are somewhat, er, mutually exclusive. Do you get all huffy, too, when they ask what happens if your "shoot" doesn't open?

I'm sure that most non-skydivers - who do not know someone that jumps - can sum up their knowledge about the sport in about three cases: 1) they or someone they know did a tandem...saw pictures on FB or something 2) saw on the news when someone craters in 3) saw a demo at an airshow / football game / whatever.

Most of the Great American Public (or Great Canadian Public, as it were) probably thinks skydiving is 1) frightening 2) dumb and 3) a waste of money.

Don't get all butthurt because they have no idea the time, money and other (yes) sacrifices it can take to turn one's self from unguided meat missile to an upjumper.

Either that or you've worn your super-cool skydiving shirt to the local bar one too many times and you're tired of hearing of hearing the local tandem pax call themselves "skydivers."

I don't know anything about rock climbing or motorcycle racing so I'm guessing I'd make some pretty ignorant statements about those activities. Betcha those groups have a insider-y nickname for the ignorant, too...just like whuffo.

[uberchris 0]

DcloudZ

Apparently in their mind all we do is fall from the sky until our parachute opens and then it places us gently on the ground.


/End rant

news alert homeboy, thats exactly what we do. some of us just do it with style, or while covering miles across the ground. and if youre not having gentle landings, upsize or work on your canopy skills

gravity brings me down.........

[airtwardo 7]

DiverMike

In order for it to be a sport, there must be a defense.

Yer not married huh?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[demoknite 0]

On any given weekend it's a recreational activity. If you compete at your local scrambles or nationals then it's a sport. It can be both. Doing some strokes in your backyard pool is not a sport, doing the 500m is.

[DiverMike 5]

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No. It's not.

A sport is a physical competition. Running is a sport. There is nobody "defending" the finish line.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Sport

We can agree to disagree. The definition you are quoting for "sport" is overly broad and only states "requiring skill or physical prowess " and does not specify it be a competition. By the definition you quoted, performing magic, playing the piano, and singing the alphabet song are all sports.

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[DiverMike 5]

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Yer not married huh?

Happily married only because I learned not to compete with my wife. No matter what I perceive the outcome to be, I always lose.

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[Ron 10]

DcloudZ

***Whuffo you post this stupid ass thread?

I guess you haven't grown past the "don't you know who I AM, I AM A SKYDIVER" stage.

It's not about that Doug...

It's about the thousands of hours, all of the money, the numerous sacrifices that I've made to participate in this sport and to continuously evolve and push myself to get better; all of that. All of that for some people to chalk it up to a crazy, risky suicidal activity that's nothing but a waste of time and money and has no goal.

It's aggravating, that's all. It's not about HEY look at me I skydive.

And people spend as much and work as hard to learn to do a large number of other activities. Hell, I know people who spend WAY more time playing video games than I have ever spent skydiving.

Your problem about other perceptions.... To put it gently, is YOUR problem - Not theirs.

And what you have said that it is not about the 'I am cool, I skydive' attitude.... 'It's about the thousands of hours, all of the money, the numerous sacrifices that I've made to participate in this sport and to continuously evolve and push myself to get better; all of that....l'

Does not seem to support that position. If you are expecting anyone else to give you validation..... You are in for a rough life. Most people are going to look at you like you are crazy. So much so that most of the people I work with have ZERO clue I skydive. I don't tell them. Some know because I don't HIDE it, but I never mention it unless asked.

You want validation for your efforts? Buy a puppy and take it for a walk.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[StreetScooby 5]

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If it can't kill ya, it ain't a sport.

+1

We are all engines of karma

[Karen89 0]

And this is why sometimes I don't even mention to people I skydive. A lot of people are negative towards it then associate me as a crazy person. I've lost a few friends over it. But I've gained many new ones who get me from skydiving and that's all that matters to me now. :)

[mr2mk1g 10]

StreetScooby

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If it can't kill ya, it ain't a sport.

+1

Then there's the old "extreme" sport thing - it can't be an "extreme" sport unless it involves risk of a fall from height.

For "ultimate" it must involve fire. It's why I never got ultimate Frisbee. Where's the freaking fire?

[DcloudZ 0]

uberchris

***Apparently in their mind all we do is fall from the sky until our parachute opens and then it places us gently on the ground.


/End rant

news alert homeboy, thats exactly what we do. some of us just do it with style, or while covering miles across the ground. and if youre not having gentle landings, upsize or work on your canopy skills

Where do you extract this from anything that I said...? If you want to go be a canopy nazi do it outside of the bonfire.

I understand that you perhaps lack the skill to fly your wing properly and perhaps that is why you seem to want to reflect this onto others to make yourself feel better about your lack of knowledge and practical application of canopy flight. Don't worry brother, just upsize and work on your canopy skills.

"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts

[ILUVCHUTERS 1]

Who gives a shit what people think? Seriously - getting yourself riled up because "whuffos" don't understand you - is a waste of energy.

You don't want to come across that attitude? Stop talking about it to "whuffos". The only time I bring it up is when someone asks me a question, then I answer the question as best I can trying to be clear about answering their question without being condescending or "braggy".

Jump more, bitch less

[diablopilot 2]

I don't begrudge anyone their ignorance about the sport, how would they know what they don't know?

What I do not tolerate is arrogant assumption, and bullshit attitudes.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[turtlespeed 220]

diablopilot

I don't begrudge anyone their ignorance about the sport, how would they know what they don't know?

What I do not tolerate is arrogant assumption, and bullshit attitudes.

Ooh Boy . . . I would absolutely stay clear of Speakers Corner then.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Andy9o8 2]

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I'm fed up of coming across this stupid attitude.

I, too, grew weary of the attitude and the same, old Q & A. The solution is simple, and it's one I've used for many years: never, ever discuss skydiving with whuffos, period; and to avoid others raising the subject, avoid letting new acquaintances know that you skydive. Works for me.

[cocheese 0]

Paying my bills is an adventure.~ Tracy Morgan.

[fossg 0]

Overheard at the dz yesterday, Whuffo "How many jumps do you have"? Skydiver "oh about 1000" Whuffo "wow thats a lot. Do you have anyother hobbies"? Skydiver "masterbation

[wrightskyguy 1]

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Why in the fuck do whuffos not consider skydiving a "real" sport?

*** Why do people insist on using a condescending term like "whuffo" when speaking of non jumpers?

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

• Quote

[pchapman 279]

diablopilot

I don't begrudge anyone their ignorance about the sport, how would they know what they don't know?

You're right that people can't be expected to know all the answers, even if their questions can be annoying.

Even so, one hopes that people would have some idea that they're probably missing information about a field of human activity, and don't just follow ancient stereotypes.

OK: "So how exactly do you steer your chute?"
Not so OK: "You can steer your chute??"

OK: "What kinds of competitions are there?"
Not so OK: "There are competitions? All you do is fall. What are you competing in, not dying?"

[gowlerk 2,192]

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All of that for some people to chalk it up to a crazy, risky suicidal activity that's nothing but a waste of time and money and has no goal.

I know I'm only one person, but as far as I'm concerned that is a fairly reasonable description of skydiving. Not completely, but not far off in many ways.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[JohnMitchell 16]

It's a sport that evolved from an emergency procedure. It's pretty amazing but it's not for everyone. Let the haters hate. I don't care.

[MikeJD 0]

JohnMitchell

It's a sport that evolved from an emergency procedure.

...that in turn generated a need for more emergency procedures. Funny old world, ain't it?

[JohnMitchell 16]

MikeJD

***It's a sport that evolved from an emergency procedure.

...that in turn generated a need for more emergency procedures. Funny old world, ain't it?


And THEN they invented tandem rigs. ..

[skyjumpenfool 2]

DcloudZ

Why in the fuck do whuffos not consider skydiving a "real" sport?
/End rant

Hmmm? When was the last time you looked around a DZ at the jumpers? Let's face it, not all of us look like athletes.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[Nataly 38]

Meh... A lot of people don't consider golf to be a "real" sport (and I know one or two golfers who get very uppity about this!!)...

To be fair, very few people have been exposed to skydiving so it's not completely ridiculous for them to imagine that "all we do is fall from the sky until our parachute opens and then it places us gently on the ground." If this is the limit of their imagination - because they've never thought much about it - then it doesn't seem like enough "effort" to be considered a sport (see above re. golf!)...

More importantly, why are you so "fed-up" with coming across this attitude? Why do you feel the need to constantly talk about it? Sure, you might be passionate about jumping, but put yourself in their shoes... You are imposing your passion on them - not the other way around... Believe me, people are not desperate to hear all about your hobbies - *you* are bringing it up... If in an effort to be polite and/or find out more about it they say some "stupid" things, be indulgent - chances are they are only asking/reacting out of politeness, not out of genuine interest... If they say "geeze it all sounds pretty crazy to me" they may just be signalling to you to move on to a different topic.

When someone starts talking on subjects they are deeply passionate about, like Jazz, I freely admit that my default response is "it sounds like jumbled noise to me" and as ignorant as that comes across to a Jazz-lover, it's really just my way of signalling to the other that I am not interested in their blabber (ie: it's FASCINATING to them and BORING/INCOMPREHENSIBLE to me).

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
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