Monotony is humanity’s greatest vice. Life ceases to have meaning unless overdramatized. Our daily obligations tend to become repetitive, whether it be work, school, or maintaining our health and equity. Due to this, we constantly distract ourselves with political issues, extreme sports, and, to be frank, overdramatized events to satisfy our desire for something greater than our monotonous routines. The catharsis of these dramatizations offers a sense of “meaning” beyond the constraints of daily routine. This is most prevalent in our collective thrill gathered from extreme sports. As an example, Formula 1 (F1) is one of the most popular extreme sports. In 2021, the global audience for F1 was 1.55 billion people. Formula 1 alludes to danger and epitomizes catharsis. It is a key example of our collective pursuit of extremity, evident through its large audience and intense racing system. However, we often neglect this collective pursuit of extremity and lack awareness of the danger it causes if it leads one to endanger their own life.
Aristotle spoke of the social benefit of catharsis, as he philosophized that tragedy was a medium of aesthetic pleasure for the viewer. Contextually, this theory refers to the terms of his dramatic plays, but the same principles apply to the aforementioned “pleasure” we acquire from tragic, extreme events. In a Formula 1 race, we assign tragedy to any negative circumstance that may occur and feel a sense of twisted joy. Suddenly, we are part of an issue that enhances our bare existence. We can grasp onto emotions of hope and fear, as well as incriminate ourselves with the sickly pleasurable feeling of being on the verge of death. Strictly speaking, we suddenly feel more important than we are. Arguably, extremity provides us with the necessary excitement in life. We cannot live, breathe, work, or operate without excitement; parallel to extremity. Tragedy is natural; catharsis, unavoidable. It is rooted in our inherent composition.
The most attractive feature of Formula 1 is the sheer intensity of every race as drivers are required to reach their highest physical and mental limits each time that they get into a car. Driving a racing car is physically strenuous, as the immense speed may cause the driver to experience forces up to five times their body weight. Consequently, there is also a severe mental impact on the drivers, as they must take extra precautions to prevent fatalities. Following its recent rise in popularity, safety has become a predominant concern in the sport, and various technological advancements have been made to prevent potential future accidents. F1 cars typically go at speeds above 200 miles per hour, and casualties were not uncommon before the 21st century. Historically, 52 drivers have died in racing events, either from crashes or car failure. Drivers are quite literally putting their lives on the line with every race.
So, why do we still find ourselves drawn to the sport, when the threat to human life is so evident? Simply put, Formula 1 fuels us with adrenaline. Personally, the “life-or-death” scenario in each race is addictive to watch, and I almost wish that I could experience the same rush of adrenaline when on the verge of such extreme casualty, or, rather, on the verge of death. The same principle applies to drivers, who constantly risk their lives on the track. They continue due to the adrenaline that racing gives them, fulfilling an inherent need for extremity, and somewhat, catharsis as well.
To simply watch a race is exhilarating. The audience wonders — how is it possible for our limits to be reached in such a drastic way? We are mesmerized by the tenacity of the drivers, and cannot help but invest our attention into the competitive nature of the sport. Here, extremity is abundant and provides one with an escape from routine and regularity. Extremity is not mediocre, nor repetitive. In contrast, it is fascinating, unfamiliar, and stimulating to the core, undeniable no matter how often we disregard it.
For example, in 2021, I was able to experience the live finale race in Abu Dhabi, a historic race that would determine the overall championship for that season, since the two top drivers were tied for points. Undoubtedly, the race was full of plot twists, and I was on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. I longed for the success of famous Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, but also felt charged with excitement when another car crashed, causing Hamilton to lose the first place position that he had held throughout the race. The outcome was shocking and degrading yet also inspiring to watch: a clear representation of pushing the utmost limits of the driver. As a devoted fan, Hamilton’s tragedy was not the most pleasant. Nevertheless, as a viewer, the high-stakes events caused by his tragedy stimulated a sense of adrenaline for me, and immensely fueled my intrigue for the race. I believe my interest was stimulated more by the overall intensity of the race, rather than the drivers themselves. Primarily, I watch F1 for its intensity, fulfilling an inexplicable instinctual need for extremity and catharsis.
As a whole, we pursue extremity in world issues just as we engage in overdramatized television and excessively emphasized sports games. Extremity relieves us from our mundane lives, providing us with catharsis and pleasurable drama. We thrive off of life-or-death scenarios by overemphasizing events, primarily found in our engagement with extreme sports. In theory, we benefit from the adrenaline of extremity. Yet, in practice, we effectively aid its resolution, as we do not wish to experience the same extremity, no matter how appealing it may seem. For example, we do not wish to experience a Formula 1 crash, yet we are still drawn to it and still watch it as it occurs. The extremity provides us with excitement, caused by our own deeper desire to transcend our limits; a predominant example of our natural desires. Collectively, it may act as a solace or an escape from our reality. Nonetheless, we tend to forget this shared desire for extremity, even when we subconsciously pursue it. It is important to recognize our inherent urges, especially those that are shrouded by our lack of awareness.
