Fun Without Trouble

[plumtreeblossom]

Yesterday's poll brought out some astute comments that echo my feelings on having fun versus staying out of trouble:

not being in trouble allows more time for fun.
-lady_anemone

trouble is anti-fun as far as I'm concerned. I find it hard to imagine something I could do that would be fun and possibly troublesome.
-heliopsis


This is how I see it, for myself. I am not attracted to danger or non-essential risk. I can't think of even one thing I want to do that's illegal in my state, nor anything I want to do that's likely to put me in danger or jeopardize my well-being. Yet I have incredible amounts of fun in my life. I've known people who can't fully enjoy many things unless there's an illicit or risky edge to it, but that's just not in my personal makeup. I don't feel that fun and lawfulness/safety are mutually exclusive. I see both as essential and intertwined. To wit:

Have fun: Throw a party
AND
Stay out of trouble: Keep it free of illegal drugs


Have fun: Have amazing sex
AND
Stay out of trouble: Use protection against STDs and unwanted pregnancy


Have fun: go hang gliding
AND
Stay out of trouble: Know what you're doing


Have fun: Enjoy a casino visit
AND
Stay out of trouble: Don't gamble more than you can afford to lose


I don't really need to think about it most times. The prospect of getting in trouble spoils the appeal of just about anything, so my choices in fun center on things unlikely to create or attract trouble.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I don't actually do much "urban exploration", but I'm attracted to that activity, which definitely prioritizes "having fun" way over "staying out of trouble". It's also an outgrowth of the hacker culture at MIT.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

i don't think I know what "urban exploration" is. If I had to guess, I would probably say "going to a city neighborhood you've never been to before," but that's brobably not what it means by the MIT definition. Explain?

[ron_newman]

Rather than try to explain something I've only occasionally participated in, I'll refer you to the Wikipedia page. It didn't start at MIT, but it meshes well with the culture there.