Saturday, August 27, 2011
What Is An Adventure?
So I've been thinking long and hard about what the word adventure means to me. It is one of those words that means something slightly different to each person. As I pondered over what it means to me I tried to avoid cliched definitions such as an unusual experience or a meaningful journey. And finally, after many long hours of thinking hard, and harder, and harder, and then slightly less hard I finally devised a definition that works for me.
An adventure is any process of physical actions that lead to a new level of worldly understanding.
Fancy words they are. But what do they actually mean? I shall elaborate.
Remember when you were nine years old and your parents took you to Disney World. You rode the rides, got your picture taken with Mickey Mouse, and had an awesome time. It was an unusual experience because you had never been there before. It might have even been a meaningful journey. But if you didn't gain new insight about the world you live in it was not an adventure, despite how much you thought it was.
Now remember when you went back a few years later, and because you were older you picked up on things you didn't pick up on when you were younger. You saw the trash on the ground, saw that Mickey Mouse was just some creepy sweaty guy in a costume, and saw how overpriced everything was. You realized that Disney World, like many things in this world, is an overrated facility designed to part people from their hard-earned cash. Congratulations Young Grasshopper, you've just had an adventure.
An experience does not have to lead to cynicism to be considered an adventure. If an experience provokes one to seek knowledge, then that experience has led to a new level of worldly understanding, therefore it is an adventure.
For instance, when I was in the fifth grade my parents took me to see the play Cyrano de Bergerac. Having never seen a play before, I was both entertained and intrigued. Having become intellectually curious about the art of theatre, I checked out books about Shakespeare from the library, wrote a few short skits of my own, and got involved with a local community theatre. Thus, seeing Cyrano de Bergerac was an adventure for me. However, for everyone who saw it and then went home with an unaltered mind only had an usual experience (unless of course they attended plays regularly). What is an adventure to one person might not be an adventure to another.
I'm having an adventure writing this blog entry. I've never had a blog before, so I really don't know what to expect. This is an experience that is leading me to new level of worldly understanding in terms of writing for an online audience.
So in the comments section I would love for everyone to share their views on adventure. Do you agree? Disagree? Care to share an adventure of your own? I look forward to reading everyone's comments.
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What you said about Disney Land was so true. I went their when I was four and had a blast, hugged all the Disney characters, rode the rides etc. I went back there during junior year and it was so dumb. The rides sucked, it was to crowded, and I was so annoyed by the little kids. Second time wasn't an adventure at all. For my adventure story I wrote how I went white water rafting. This matched your defenition of your adventure because it involved physical actions and I did learn something new ( how to paddle and avoid getting smothered by rocks, as well as learning about the river etc.) Anyways good stuff man!
ReplyDeleteI agree with example on the Disney World thing. Lol. However, I'm torn with your definition of adventure. I don't believe that an adventure has to be something that gives you new insight on the world. For example would something like riding a bike give you insight about the world you live in?? Or would it again depend on the person? Hmm... made me think with this one. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the Disney World thing. I think it's interesting you used writing the blog as your adventure. Nice point.
ReplyDeleteI, like everyone else, agree on the Disney World example, which is why the targets of the theme parks are the families with small children. And of course, once you've experienced an old adventure, it no longer attracts your attention and therefore, you skip on to the next best thing: Universal Studios, for example. Great job on the blog!
ReplyDelete:) This is the right kind of thinking, Cole. And as discussed in office hour your definition is way too broad to be useful yet. This entry, though, does a great job of expounding on what exactly is meant by "worldly insight."
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea lurking in this line about an adventure "provoking one to seek insight." This is different from an experience that merely yields insight. This might be one way to refine your definition. But more filters on it.