Risky Business

My parents used to say that they had all the excitement they could ever wish for living through the war but for all the people who have lived through an unprecedented period of peace over the last 60 odd years the question is ‘How now do we get to live on the edge?’

I have always held the opinion that a lot of drug taking and anti social behaviour among the young is due, in some part, to the lack of risk in our society. Kids have always needed excitement but when a young person encounters danger there is often someone standing by to stop them. I am not talking about the kind of sanitised thrill seeking you get from controlled environments such as bungee jumping and roller coaster rides, but situations which require input from the kids and calm judgement in the face of danger.


I was particularly pleased, therefore, to see a new poster from the Health and Safety Executive acknowledging that a little risk and adventure is a good thing. The headline reads
“Don’t wrap kids in cotton wool”
and it goes on to say.
'Health and safety law is often used as an excuse to stop children taking part in exciting activities, but well-managed risk is good for them. It engages their imagination, helps them learn and even teaches them to manage risks for themselves in the future. They won’t understand about risk if they’re wrapped in cotton wool. Risk itself won’t damage children, but ill-managed and overprotective actions could!'

The HSE is primarily talking about leisure activities here but the same must be true of work. Young people eventually enter the workforce, or at least that is how it used to be, and I have often seen young people on building sites who are clueless about danger. Not surprising if they have been shielded from it for most of their lives. They walk behind a reversing forklift in their hard hat, high vis and steel toe caps safe in the knowledge that the hidden forces that have protected them since the cradle are still taking care of their every waking hour.

A new organisation called the Campaign for Adventure has been set up 'to influence attitudes towards hazard and risk'. It wants to foster recognition that chance, uncertainty, hazard and risk are inescapable dimensions of human experience. Among its supporter is the Duke of Edinburgh, who routinely risks putting his foot in it and mountaineer Chris Bonnington, who has lead many successful expeditions.

Hopefully if young people can use their skill and judgement to get them through potentially life threatening situations they will no longer feel the compulsion to stick knives into total strangers in pubs.