In the May 2005 issue of Flying magazine (yes, I am behind in my
reading) there is an excellent article by Bruce Landsberg in the
SafetyPilot column. It is titled "Death in the Afternoon."

In the article Bruce talks about bullfighting, airshows, auto racing,
Roman gladiators, and others as examples of "sports" that offer the
hint, if not the real promise, of danger. These events are ritualized
public risk taking. Bruce also gives examples of private risk taking
like skydiving. Soaring would fit in there, too.

Some quotes:

From Nancy Lynn, airshow performer: "Danger and risk have to be taken
in the context of life. Take a risk if it enhances your life, but
have an exit strategy." and "It is inherently dangerous and the ground
is the final authority."

From the International Council of Air Shows: "Ships are safe in
harbor, but that is not what ships are built for."

From Bruce: "I understand the airshow pilot's motivation, but is has
no bearing on the risk of my next cross country trip. Like moths to
a flame, we are drawn to risk in varying degrees. It makes the beer
taste better in the evening."

I found the article quite interesting, especially for Flying magazine,
which mostly caters to people that dream of flying jets someday. By
acknowledging the reality of the human response to the thrill of risk
taking, it avoids the trap of saying "Don't do anything stupid," which
is the message of most safety talks. That message works in the
classroom, but not in the cockpit.
-Bob Korves