BEST OF JODY’S BOX: HOW TO TICKLE A SABER TOOTH TIGER

This is how Jody dressed when he taught Social Research Methods at North Texas State University. 

By Jody Weisel

My mother used to ask me what was so special about being a motocross racer. Well, she didn’t put it that way exactly, but that was the gist of what she was asking when she said, “Your father and I put you through nine years of college to earn your Bachelors, Masters and PhD. You should be teaching gerontology at the University of Texas, not riding dirt bikes for a living. I could be telling my friends at canasta that my son was a college professor. But no, making your mother happy is not important to my son the motorcross racer.”

So, to make my mother happy, here is my college professor lecture on what makes motocross so special. Please take notes because all of this will all be on the final exam.

“Welcome students. I am Dr. Weisel and this is Motocross Philosophy 101. If you are in the wrong class or on the football team, please report to some other classroom. My goal is not to make you love motocross, race motorcycles or even makes vroom-vroom sounds on your way to Starbucks. No, my goal is to delve deep into the psychological and philosophical reasons of why motocrossers differ from other human beings.”

A FEW THOUSAND YEARS AGO, THE GUY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FASTEST 250 PRO IN THE FOREST PRIMEVAL WAS THE ONE WHO YELLED, ‘HEY, LET’S GO TICKLE THAT SABER TOOTH TIGER!

This is how Jody would be dressed if he had become the Dean of the Department of Gerontology at the University of Texas today.

“Unlike shoe clerks or accountants, motocrossers share a common bond that is primordial. It goes back to the hunter-gatherer days when primitive man had a close relationship with his own mortality. The life of a motocrosser mimics that of primitive man in that even the smallest endeavor carries risk, but the rewards far outweighs the perils. The adrenaline, fear and thrill of the risk are inbred into the thought processes of all men—it has just been suppressed by socialization.”

“Don’t be fooled into thinking that modern man doesn’t carry the exact same bundled nerve ends as his ancestors. They may have been repressed by civilization over the centuries, but they are still there — deep in the collective consciousness. The ability to unhinge the self-preservation part of one’s brain is probably a throwback to prehistoric times. A few thousand years ago, the guy that would have been the fastest 250 Pro in the forest primeval was the one who yelled, ‘Hey, let’s go tickle that saber tooth tiger!’”

“Fear is a normal human emotional reaction; it is a built-in survival mechanism that we are all equipped with. Fear is the emotion that protects man from danger, signals oncoming threats and activates the fight-or-flight response. From a societal perspective it is illogical to take risks that may lead to danger when there is little benefit to the group as a whole. But, unlike the mass majority, motocrossers perceive fear as something positive. Despite the fact that evolutionary logic has designed us with mechanisms that prevent us from seeking danger, motocrossers have discovered that fear releases the hormone dopamine. This hormone creates feelings of optimism and happiness, thus it is not the danger that motivates racers to take greater and greater risks—but the feeling that comes from doing something that others shy away from.”

“To feel alive, really alive, you have to stimulate the id, the primitive part of your psyche that comes into conflict with the constraints of an orderly social environment. Motocross is more than the thrill of the hunt—it is antisocial in the best sense of the word. It is a return to warrior culture. And, in a society that has been Oprah’ized, Obama-ized and Omarosa’ized, motorcycle racing has the power to break the feelings of alienation and disorientation that are pervasive in our urbanized world.”

“MOTOCROSSERS ARE THIS GENERATION’S VERSION OF THE 17TH CENTURY BUCCANEER, 18TH CENTURY SAMURAI, 19TH CENTURY SOLDIER OF FORTUNE OR 20TH CENTURY P-51 FIGHTER PILOT.”

Instead, this is how Jody dresses for work today.

“The stresses of modern life are not assuaged by flat-screen TVs, computers, cell phones, iPads or aromatherapy. You can’t fake risk. You can’t pretend to be thrilled. You can’t simulate fear. You can’t stimulate dopamine from playing video games. You can’t get exultation from Facebook. You have to do it, live it and understand that what you are doing isn’t socially accepted. Men who race motorcycles are revolting against the electronic clamor of the new century. They are searching for something different. Motocrossers are this generation’s version of the 17th century buccaneer, 18th century samurai, 19th century soldier of fortune or 20th century P-51 fighter pilot.”

“Motocrossers band together as a tribe and share the same values, attitudes, customs, language and beliefs. To be a motocrosser is to be a part of something special—something that only a few can aspire to. Something that brings us closer to the warriors we once were.”

“Have you ever heard the saying ‘ride fast, take chances and die young.’ You might think this is the mantra of motorcycle racers, but it is really just a warning to non-racers. Real racers want the general public to have a negative view of what they do—to keep our cultural enclave free from hangers-on and wannabes. In truth, motocross racers don’t really think that what they do is dangerous. It is a learned activity, honed through repetition, where the goal isn’t to take chances, but to excel in much the way that people who play videos games try to beat their best score. Motocross is often portrayed in a negative way, but it is just a skill sport and the skill is to stay on this side of the edge.”

“Thank you and don’t forget that your term papers are due next Wednesday.”