Tuesday, July 22, 2008
What Not To Do When You're Falling
The cover of an allegedly inspirational book caught my eye today. It bore the title When You're Falling, Dive: Lessons In the Art of Living.
Even by the dubious standards of self-help book mummery, this struck me as idiotic advice.
I will concede that when falling from the roof of a fifty-story building, screaming will probably not be helpful. And perhaps the small amount of time you have left will not be enough to think of a way out of your predicament.
But I see no advantage in imagining that you're a Mexican cliff-diver and gaining satisfaction from your perfectly executed jackknife as you plow into the pavement below.
Also, witnesses will tell police that you were diving, not falling. Thus your death will become the ultimate I-meant-to-do-that moment.
