If you were debasing it into a personal attack you'd be banned so don't worry - unless you're admitting it's a personal attack of course
I'm sorry to hear of your accident that is tragic and awful, but in a slightly ironic way it highlights my point perfectly. That victim could have been anyone, even a skydiver, and yes it was an accident. Just as when things go wrong in skydiving 9/10 it's an accident, admittedly 1/10 times it's the person trying to push the boundaries. I don't think it's fair to call skydivers or adrenaline "junkies" selfish as they don't purposely jump out of a plane or a high point to die, they do it to enjoy the feeling and enjoy the sport.
I know people who are ex professional tobogganists and others that were professional skiiers, now they didn't even do it as a hobby they did it as a sport for their living as do some skydivers - I can rattle off a lot of movies that have required skydiving photography and stunts, so there is a profession in skydiving, does it suddenly become acceptable when it's a living and not a hobby?
I hate living with stipulations and rules to a certain extent. Not the basic laws of the land, but if people told me I couldn't skydive, or I couldn't drive a car or a motorbike, or if I wasn't allowed to lift weights and bodybuild anymore I'd be furious and petrified. Furious because I wasn't allowed to do things I'm perfectly entitled to do, petrified that I was living in a world where you weren't able to do what the hell you wanted.
We're all destined to die at some point, and my friends and family would rather I died doing something I enjoyed then of some dreadful illness or being blown up by some militants in some god forsaken land to use but 2 examples. I'd rather lose someone who did something they loved than in agony for months on a hospital bed. And I've experienced both, both times it hurts, both time it's sad, but at least one leaves one with a positive memory and not the latter. Maybe this is just how my brain works, but I am very in touch with my mortality and it doesn't scare me. Of course I have absolutely no desire or wish to pass away any time soon - absolutely not, but it doesn't phase me as much as it does others.
I, like you, though in different circumstances have seen death in my life, in insurrections, accidents and just being in the wrong place at the wrong time - however all this has done is pushed me to live my life and take each day as it comes, carpe diem, and not worry so much. Of course my friends and my family would be devastated if I were to pass away, but as everyone does, they get over it in time, and yes it's painful and yes it's horrid to outlive your offspring, but sometimes **** happens you know?
I'd rather my friends be happy than force them to stop flying to dodgy parts of the world, or rock climb or fly planes, or skydive etc... I accept that one day on average one of my friends will die in some form or the other. Doing skydiving or base jumping doesn't really increase your risk of doing so. I've given you the figures there are hundreds of thousands of skydivers all around the world. In fact I know several hundred in the UK alone with over 1000 jumps some with 10k jumps, some have been jumping for 30 years+ . The number of deaths is LOW, and the number of deaths (that are reported, which in general is over 99%) in BASE jumps over the past 30 years is less than 130. Ok it's a thrill, yes they push the envelope of danger, but
these people are highly trained professionals. This is not like your average Joe trying to do a stunt on his bike. These people know what they are doing - they minimise their chance of injuries significantly as a result. It's not as grim as you're trying to make out.
