Nik Wallenda...

Pretty much the whole world was watching as, without a tether, this guy, Nik Wallenda, walked without a tether across a “tight rope” which was stretched over the Grand Canyon and he didn’t even have a tether. I apologize for the repetitive nature of that last sentence but I just wanted to emphasize that he did it without a tether because the announcers on the Discovery Channel didn’t emphasize it enough. They also didn’t emphasize the fact that if he fell... he would die. The most shocking instance of not emphasizing it enough is when Nik’s wife said “he wouldn’t do anything dangerous” mere minutes before he stepped out on a steel wire over the Grand Canyon.

So here are my issues with tonight’s broadcast:

Social Media Whore - This whole thing was just about social media reaction. That is clear from the countless Tweets they posted live on the TV during the event and the host of Discovery’s live online show bragging about the massive, worldwide social media reactions after the event. Congrats! A bunch of people that don’t matter claim they were inspired by this idiot. Which leads me to my next point...

Inspiration Or Idiot - Chase your dreams! Never give up! These are the battle cries of the Wallenda family whose dreams are to not actually work for a living, but just chase adrenaline highs and not heed the warning of a dead great grandfather so they can make millions of dollars for walking on stuff. I’ll tell you what I was inspired to do... not disrespect my family by making them watch me risk my life for cheap thrills. If he really loved his family he wouldn’t do what he did. I’m not saying “don’t do the walk, Nik,” I’m just saying wear a tether... have a net... where one of those flying squirrel suits in case you stumble. It’s still impressive and it’s not stupid.

Joel Osteen And Jesus - If I was going to stare my ultimate demise in its ugly face, there’s no one I’d rather have on my side than Joel Osteen. It’s tough to bash a preacher... unless he’s the type of preacher that tells people what they want to hear so they can make a name for themselves. I don’t think Jesus cares too much about celebrity status. And, while we’re on the subject of Jesus... I’m all for bringing faith in Jesus to a massive audience, but every time Nik thanked Jesus or asked Jesus to quiet the winds - which was 62 times in case you were counting (I was) - it seemed like it was the Joel Osteen kind of thing. Using Jesus to gain supporters, not to save your soul. And Jesus didn’t put Nik on that wire... Nik Wallenda did.

If you were inspired by Nik Wallenda to chase your dreams, more power to you; I’m all about chasing dreams. That’s why I’m working a low paying job while trying to make it in writing through this blog (so share it with everyone you know). But my dreams don’t seem as stupid as disregarding my family and friends by walking across the Grand Canyon solely for an adrenaline rush and social media attention. I am glad he made it, though, because all of the Tweets, Facebook pages, Instagram pictures, Pinterest stuff, and everything else pouring out sympathy for this guy who did something really dumb would be embarrassing. Mine would have two pictures side by side: all the gear he used and with the cost of it all (in the millions I’m sure) and the other picture would be of some sort of tethering device with it’s cost... 20 bucks or so.

Yet I still watched it and Tweeted along (sarcastically of course so my Tweets didn’t make it onto the TV screen) so I guess that makes me a hypocrite. Oh well.

That’s it for now...