Do you dare to jump off the cliff?

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My steps tremble, my pulse quickens, my hands seek support. The edge of the cliff diving platform is just a few centimeters away. I see boats and spectators 27 meters down. They look small. I’m not going any further. Do not stand on the edge of the platform. Fear of (height) is too great.

And that’s despite the fact that I’m not standing at a dizzying height on the actual platform. Don’t feel the wind on this vertical rock face. Only background noise and images come from reality. Yet virtual reality makes me hesitate and weakens my knees. At Verkehrshaus Luzern I stand at the bars of the Red Bull Media World equipped with VR glasses. About 3 meters above the entrance area. But my legs really shake when I’m completely immersed in the virtual world.

Courage is the “power of will”

Am I just lacking in courage? Or does an educated risk awareness prevent me from putting myself in danger? Because the evolutionary survival mechanism protects most people from literally falling into hell.

There is an often-quoted proverb that says “Courage is not being afraid, but overcoming fear”. The word courage is derived from the Indo-European words “mo” meaning “to strive”, “to have a strong will” and the Old High German words “muot” meaning “sense”, “will power”.

Maybe I didn’t want to face my fears on the VR platform. Today courage also means being involved, self-disclosure, representing an opinion.

Perhaps because of the modesty of many, they do not want to reveal themselves. And that’s why we seem so mesmerized when others do it. We like to admire brave people. Or watch the extreme athletes chill out. For example, at Cliff Diving at Sisikon UR, athletes stay in free fall for about three seconds before diving into the water at 85 km/h. Where forces of up to 10 g act on their bodies when they are submerged and yet everything looks so light and elegant.

Courage and fear complement each other

Fear is not the opposite of courage as I nearly walk to the cliff diving platform. Courage and fear are seen as a contradiction. They are components of daring before a task. Only those who recognize the interplay of courage and fear will dare to do something and evaluate possible dangers or avoid them.

This is an approach also used in school pedagogy: not avoiding difficulties and dangers, but recognizing them as opportunities to develop skills called risk competence. It’s about encouraging people to dare to do something. That is why it is said, “Only those who dare can win”. That’s why you have to be willing to take risks. Risk means the assessment of possible consequences.

Extreme athletes take calculated risks. Anyone who has jumped off cliffs knows that diving must be successful. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury. Body tension should be perfect, you need to actively dive to avoid bruises after the blow. Thus, it is not only courage, but also preparation, concentration and confidence in one’s own abilities that allow such risks. Even the bravest people build it step by step.

show courage

Red Bull Media World special exhibition “Water – Breaking the Surface” at Verkehrshaus Lucerne sheds light on the brave world of extreme sports. It encourages you to reflect your own courage. This is supported by the use of the latest media technologies. In this way, visitors become participants because the real and virtual worlds mix perfectly, creating a whole new feeling.

Everyone involved can face their own fears, be encouraged or show courage. I got discouraged on the 27-meter-high slope diving platform. But when I immersed myself in a VR documentary about the world’s best cliff divers, I was fascinated by the audacity of the athletes. Always knowing that I would never do such a thing myself.

Source : Blick