“The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.”
Yvon Chouinard
It only took two years of commercial copywriting in the outdoor industry for me to hate the word adventure.
(I appreciate that ‘adventure’ is in the byline of this website, but bear with me on this one!)
It’s not because I hate the act or idea of being venturesome. Nor is it because I’m so darn gnarly that I think no one qualifies as adventurous in comparison. It’s because the word adventure is so overused that it has lost all meaning. Adventure used to stand for something remarkable or incredible, these days simply going outside is an adventure.
Having a barbecue in some local countryside is an adventure. Going for a quick walk on your lunch break is an adventure. Going camping in the same spot every weekend is an adventure. The historical adventurers were exploring new lands and testing the limits of the human body, us modern-day pioneers are posting mundane stuff on instagram and hashtagging from the comfort of our cars.
Things that are adventure according to Instagram
- Your child surrounded by bunnies (although very cute, not an adventure)
- Eating an ice cream that is the same colour as the wall next to you.
- Being at home (if your home is rustic/a converted barn).
- Being at work.
- Any flattering photo of you.
- Wearing a novel hat (although life-enhancing – probably not an adventure)
- Budgies nuzzling each other (again, super cute – not an adventure).
- Walking your dog around the same patch of countryside everyday.
- A good view.
Look at the etymology of adventure and you’ll get back to what it’s really about. Adventure implies risk and danger – a trial of one’s chances (c. 1300) or a perilous undertaking (late 14c.). Okay so you’r enot defying death, but surely your experience should involve some element of uncertainty or commitment? Where’s the adventure in a guaranteed success?
Adventure should also be an exciting incident, by which I mean in some way remarkable or life-changing. Can you call a routine occurrence adventurous?
People often talk about a new prospect or having a baby as an adventure, this feels more apt. Having a baby is life-changing and who knows how it’s going to go? Going into the Peak District for the first time when you’re teen from an inner city school might be life-changing too. Taking your dog for her daily walk on the hill probably isn’t, so it’s probably not an adventure.
I appreciate the intent behind the concept of everyday adventure – we can’t all afford the time and money required to pioneer at the edge of known human limits – but these days we’re using adventure as a lazy way to glam up going outdoors. To me, adventure is the unglamorous part: the bit where you regret not buying health insurance for your trip, where you berate yourself out-loud for getting yourself into such a pickle in the first place, or cry whilst simultaneously peeing on your own shoes and shouting ‘DON’T LOOK AT ME’ on ledge 100 metres up a rock face.
I’m surely guilty of this crime (the peeing thing, and overusing ‘adventure’), but from now on I’ll be making sure to at least step a small way outside of my comfort zone before declaring something adventurous. Feel free to join me!
– Hati
Hati Whiteley 