I like to think of it as the purest form of sport aviation. Soaring
has absolutely no utility. I find this its greatest attribute and
charm. Sailplane pilots fly for the love of flight. It has no
guarantees. No practical rewards -- save intangibles. Its practioners
have interest in every type of weather where updrafts may be found,
and the sport produces aircraft sturdy enough to remain controlable
and intact in most of them. Our ability to stay aloft is predicated
entirely on pilot skill, and while some may compare it to sailing, at
least a sailboat stays afloat if the wind quits!

I think, perhaps, we have a greater emotional investment than any
other distinct group in aviation -- comparable to sailors, but even
more to solo climbers, who thrive on the necessity of blending
superlative technique with unflinching concentration.

Perhaps we are comparable to any sport whose greatest rewards come
with reflection, the act itself requiring too much attention to be
thoroughly enjoyed in the moment.

Just some thoughts at tangents to the party line... ;-)