i am.
"why? you think you're going to fall off and die or something?"
maybe. that's part of the reason, i guess.
"well, it has happened, i'm sure. so that fear is validated, but the chances of that happening are slim to none."
to be honest, i don't know why i am scared of roller coasters. i'm not sure if it's a fear more than a dislike or even hatred for a roller coaster.
"elaborate."
well, a roller coaster is essentially a joy ride. people enjoy riding them, but some people hate them. and most of them are scared of falling off and dying, but i've ridden enough coasters to know that i don't like them. i don't like them because they're not fun at all. people that love them find them thrilling for different reasons. the screaming, the laughing, and the blood pumping through your veins faster than it normally would, but there's no real risk in a roller coaster.
"i mean there are risks in riding it like everything else. like riding a car is a risk, but it's not as fun as a roller coaster."
that's very true, but people ride the coaster for that risk. no one rides a car just for pleasure, it gets you places and the risk you take riding it is a risk you take because you have to. but people that ride roller coasters want to take the risk of riding a roller coaster because it's the closest you can get to almost dying.
"i think there are a lot of ways that you can almost die without riding a roller coaster."
right, like bungee jumping, sky diving. i'm not saying that people who ride roller coasters have a death wish, but they want to feel the thrill and climax of almost dying when they ride. it's evident in most roller coasters. they all have a big, slow climb up to a top of a peak and slowly go over that peak to drop hard and fast downwards. the anticipation of the climb and the slow agonizing tip over the edge until you plunge down into the depths.
"yeah, but that's part of the fun. it's like you think you might die, but you know you won't. there are a lot of people like you that think they're going to die, but they're not sure. that's why you're afraid."
maybe. but remember, it's more of a dislike for me than fear. my problem with roller coasters are that they're not what they appear to be.
"what do they appear to be?"
roller coasters market themselves as joy rides that feature big drops, sharp twists and turns, and super speeds in hopes that people will be full of fear, but at the same time full of courage to face it when they ride it.
"so?"
so, that's not real courage at all. it's a fake. a phony courage that's made up by a fake fear.
"what fake fear?"
the fake fear of death. roller coasters strike fear into a lot of people's hearts, but it's not a real fear at all because there's no real intended risk for those who are going to ride it. all roller coasters are designed to a tee to be the safest possible ride that people can enjoy. there's no risk of dying or falling off because they're designed to be that way.
"they'd be out of a job if they didn't."
yeah, but imagine a roller coaster with none of the safety precautions and all of the risks.
"no one would want to ride it."
most people wouldn't want to ride it because they would really be afraid. that fear that they thought they experienced before, when the roller coaster was safe, would be exposed for what it really is.
"which is..."
nothing. it's nothing, but take away the safety, make the most dangerous roller coaster and some people would ride it. they would ride it with real fear, but real courage and if they survived they'd experience a thrill and joy that no other roller coaster could give them.
"so you don't like roller coasters because they're not really dangerous?"
i don't like them because what roller coasters really are are fake joy rides for fake people who think they harbor a real courage and conquering spirit when it's really just a glorified test drive. roller coasters are an equivocated contortion of safe danger.
"so i'm riding this one alone."
i'll ride with you, but don't expect me to scream.
