Analysis of the Influences That Make People Risk Takers

Analysis of the Influences That Make People Risk Takers What Makes People Take Risks? Have you ever felt you are on risk before? If yes, how do you feel at that moment? And would you like to do it again? The answers can be very different for each person. In order to know what the differences are we should know what risk is. Risk is some kind of possibility of suffering harm or loss or a situation involving uncertain danger. From the meaning of risk, people can look at risk in different point of view. Some people dont want to take or to deal with risk at all but some people want to take risks because of many reason; biological factors, getting self-confidence, and getting away from boring life. First of all, people have risk taking instinct, which causes them to deal with any dangerous situation eagerly. This might be due to a dangerous, difficult, and uncertain past that ancestors passed on that made them strong and well trained for taking risks. In the article Taking the Bungee Plunge, Bensimhon (cited in Men’s Health, 1992) mentions the same thing that human being are intrinsic risk takers who survive and who thrive on risks. By this reason, it is obvious that some people want to take risk because they have risk taking instinct. In addition, Israeli scientists have found one kind of gene know as D4DR that influences people’s characteristics. The scientists believe that people who have the gene tend to look for thrills. This kind of gene, D4DR, is also called thrill-seeking gene. (â€Å"For Our Ancestors, Taking Risks Was a Good Bet†, 1999) In other words, the thrill-seeking gene in human is another reason that influenced people to take risk. Secondly, it’s mentioned in the Bensimhon’s article also about how people get confidence after thriving risks. In this case, people have the best moments when their body or mind is stretched to its limits while they are taking risks and after accomplishing it, they feel very confident. In addition, in the article â€Å"Risking Nature†, the author also mentions the same idea that people seek out nature even though it’s dangerous because of a desire for self-reliance. (â€Å"Risking Nature†, 1999) Naturally, people like to have freedom or to be self-reliance, so when they take risks, it’s like they can control their destiny by themselves. For example, when students have a chance to go study abroad, it’s taking a risk because they have to make the decision to come to another country which they have to deal with strangers, a new culture, a new language, and different kinds of food. They can’t meet their family, friends, or girlfrien d/boyfriend. Its a very big difference for them to adapt to everything new in their life. They might be unhappy staying oversea which is a risk. However, they still want to try to get over this risk because they have the wish to reach their goal and to succeed in their education. In addition to the reasons mentioned above, people who take risks also want to get away from their boring life. According to Bower cite in the article â€Å"Going over the Top†, a number of athletes who do the extreme sports is increasing and the reason is to get away from their boring life and to seek something exciting and challenging. The players think adventure sports are relatively safe but worth trying. Also in the article, Douglas says that every day life’s dissatisfaction causes the spread of extreme sports. In conclusion, I think some people take risks because of different reasons based on what that they think or want to get from the risk they are going to take. It could be good for their mental or physical health or maybe both. Doing so should be based on awareness, carefulness and safety of that people. Then no harm will happen to a risk taker.