On the Spirit of Adventure

‘Adventure’ has become one of those buzzwords that gets brandished around like bright red candy at the lolly store. One can get away with calling just about anything an adventure these days. The word is used in marketing slogans of tour companies that promise ‘adventure’ on catered trips that run like clockwork, with predictable outcomes and comfort guaranteed to the clients the entire way.

The idea of adventure is in stark opposition to the current Zeitgeist. We live in an era of hyper-conservatism, where any unnecessary risk to human life must be eliminated. Risk taking is becoming more and more frowned upon. The rise of insurance companies has meant that we are covered, at least financially, for most foreseeable but unexpected situations. Humanity seems to have a deep desire to overcome uncertainty, to make life