Is Jessica Watson going to die?

[Coxy]

No I think he said he'd been sailing on his school holidays for a week or so and now was dead keen.

 

[Nashy]

Ahh right. Better position to make such claims then. Go Jessica!

 

[gUt]

I went sailing for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it is addictive. Anyway she won't die but I don't reckon she'll make it either.

 

[lynx000]

Still seems to be going well for her. Apparently she is about to hit some more challenging weather conditions though.

 

[Bannermania]

She's an idiot for trying to do it, but, whatever, it's her dream.

She's not even hot.

Yeah.. but that Jesse Martin chick was hot, right? Am I right fellas..?

Fellas??

... oh.

 

[Huge]

Short answer to the question is yes, she will die, eventually. Whether it has anything to do with her trip is open to debate. Some claim to fame though.Adding her name to the ever growing list of people who were, at some point, the youngest ( read tallest fattest oldest shortest thinnest smartest blind mute amputee etc ) person to do something which is apparently important or worthwhile.The point of the exercise is well, a mystery. Jessica will simply become a footnote as we marvel at the blind thirteen year old amputee who circumnavigates the globe whilst reading Shakespearean sonnets . Alright , it's a bit rich but the point is there is no point doing it.

It'll be an absolute one day...someone will be the youngest (etc ) to do whatever it is being attempted. The only constraint will be the intervention of older people or their rules.A 14 then a 13 then a 12 year old will have a go and Jessica and her journey will be an also ran.

 

[Coxy]

Don't disagree with any of that, however it's a very cynical way to view things. The fact is this young person has decided "I want to do this" and instead of just coasting along waiting for things to happen, she's gone out and made it happen. And now she's on the home stretch to realising her dream.

Even if she doesn't finish, IMO she's a great role model for other young people.

And there's that phrase...role model. I expect the response of "the only people who should be role models are your parents"...blah blah blah. However, I'm a firm believer that people need peers as role models as well as parents.

Kids looking at Jessica Watson and saying "wow, if she can achieve her goal, then maybe I can achieve mine...how did she do it? What about her makes her so driven and successful? That's what I want to be like".

That's the same way I look at footballers as role models..."wow, look at Locky...a kid from the bush who had talent but was able to make the most of it and took every opportunity...that's what I want to be like".

But then we get into dangerous territory of what impact do these peer role models have when they **** up? So we'll leave that out of Jess's thread.

 

[Black Philip]

Yeah! If Greg Bird can beat those charges, so can I!



:P

 

[dukey]

LOL!

 

[Huge]

Fair enough to view it as a cynical swipe at Jessica but it really is'nt what I was aiming for. Rather it is an observation on the merit of the particular challenge chosen. The part that tells the story is the desire to gain attention from the effort. For me the thinking is along the lines of the city centre skateboarders (any similar derivatives included) who perform uninvited on the concrete where you'd hoped to walk safely.

Look at me please type attitude. Why tell anyone. Why did the world have to know. If the doing is enough, why the invite to the world. These things attempted are for the ego, not for the worlds benefit, they're driven to gain notoriety, fame if you will. Many people do feel as though they have seen enough people putting these self imposed mountains to climb in front of themselves. Done so to marvel at their heroic efforts to overcome.

Her determination and skill on the water are not in question nor can her can do attitude be denied. It's simply not enough for me to care whether her mountain is scaled. Some of her character traits may be role model material but her choice of challenge seems ultimately pointless.

 

[Nashy]

That was a really longwinded way of saying she's got a big ego, and you don't care.

Look at that. Said in less than a line.

 

[schmix]

Fair enough to view it as a cynical swipe at Jessica but it really is'nt what I was aiming for. Rather it is an observation on the merit of the particular challenge chosen. The part that tells the story is the desire to gain attention from the effort. For me the thinking is along the lines of the city centre skateboarders (any similar derivatives included) who perform uninvited on the concrete where you'd hoped to walk safely.

Look at me please type attitude. Why tell anyone. Why did the world have to know. If the doing is enough, why the invite to the world. These things attempted are for the ego, not for the worlds benefit, they're driven to gain notoriety, fame if you will. Many people do feel as though they have seen enough people putting these self imposed mountains to climb in front of themselves. Done so to marvel at their heroic efforts to overcome.

Her determination and skill on the water are not in question nor can her can do attitude be denied. It's simply not enough for me to care whether her mountain is scaled. Some of her character traits may be role model material but her choice of challenge seems ultimately pointless.

I don't totally disagree with you, but surely gaining sponsorship would be a major reason for going public.

 

[Coxy]

What schmix said. She wouln't be able to afford it any other way. To get sponsors they need air time, so publicity. Done.

But yes, any kid who does something like this must have a bit of a "look at me" attitude. Confidence, ego, pride...all very similar and difficult to differentiate if you don't know them.

 

[Flutterby]

Without checking any websites/news articles or anything - just off the top of your head, name her sponsors. I have been following her "adventure" and couldn't name you a single one of them - not much value for money there. Though I do agree she wouldn't be able to do it without their backing.

 

[Nashy]

Without looking.

One HD.

 

[Aeetee]

Thats 1, 37 to go.....

 

[Fozz]

Ella Bache? Lolz!

 

[Aeetee]

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