One of my new favorite shows on TV now is Man vs. Wild. For those of you who don't know it's about a guy, Bear Grylls, who gets dropped off in the middle of nowhere with a camera guy and is told to get out. Now, along the way he's faced with "challenges" that teach individuals how to survive. I've been thinking alot about why I like the show and what it is that I hope to gain from it. Anyone who knows me knows that the odds of me ever getting stranded in the African Savannah, Antarctica, or even Texas are pretty remote, so it's not like I need the "life skills" Bear teaches. I also don't think I'll ever "dine" on the delicacies of raw grubs, diamond head snakes, fire roasted reindeer, or raw bullfrog or be forced to drink my own urine.
So what is it?
I think it's because I see someone who is beating not only the elements but the limitations of his own self. (Yeah deep I know) Bear, constantly talks about raising your spirits in a survival scenario and how pushing yourself just that little bit more can mean the difference between surviving and perishing. I think I need that extra kick in the pants sometimes, to reach down push that extra lap, finish that one more file at work, try that one thing new. Bear's challenges, when it comes down to it, aren't against nature but are against himself, granted the "wild" part does a pretty good job of forcing the issue upon him, but I realize that I like watching someone conquer all the doubt and insecurity within themselves. I often think that (and if there are any producers or programmers out there reading) the Discovery channel or even Bear for his new line of material should have a contest where, like Will Ferrell, you would be able to spend a weekend with Bear, yet then I realize that opportunity is just the icing on the cake that we can all challenge our own "wilds" within the safety of our own lives and living rooms.
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