Why are humans fascinated with flight and the ability to fly?

[haael]

What do You think: why do we want to fly so badly?

Why did Daedalus and Icarus strap wings to themselves? Why did Wright brothers construct a plane? Why do we like to fly in lucid dreams? Why do we climb Mount Everest? What did we fly to the Moon for?

Why there is such a psychological flaw in us? Why do we, land animals, want to be birds?

I presume, we were angels once upon a time, but God took our wings back after the first sin.
What do You think about this?

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Because we can't.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Same reason people want to ride go-carts when they own a car already. It's different. It's fun to ride in things.

 

[magpies]

Because it embodys the idea of freedom.

 

[Andre]

Because you can travel across an ocean and a continent in mere nine hours to see friends and relatives and do business. Something that took oh maybe 30 days in the time of Phileas Fogg

 

[pallidin]

Although I would love the idea of being able to fly(i.e. wings) to some extent I'm glad we can not.
Imagine the chaos and danger of flying drunk, for example.

 

[Pythagorean]

Freedom from gravity. Why do people want freedom?

 

[GeorgCantor]

What do You think: why do we want to fly so badly?

Why did Daedalus and Icarus strap wings to themselves? Why did Wright brothers construct a plane? Why do we like to fly in lucid dreams? Why do we climb Mount Everest? What did we fly to the Moon for?

Why there is such a psychological flaw in us? Why do we, land animals, want to be birds?

Maybe because reality and everyday life so constraining and routine. And what could be better than flying your own 2-seater plane?

I presume, we were angels once upon a time, but God took our wings back after the first sin.
What do You think about this?

I think being able to fly is proof that God still loves us. :!)

 

[Tedjn]

Flying would not be my first choice of superpower, but why not? It would make some things easier. No longer would I have a fear of heights.

 

[rootX]

I do not want to fly.

 

[magpies]

why not rootx? I like flying it's pretty fun I mean you I wouldn't want to be in the air all day long but it's fun seeing the ground from way up above.

 

[Antiphon]

In a world full of people, only some want to fly. Isn't that crazy?

 

[bassplayer142]

Because it would be awesome?

 

[Proton Soup]

perhaps it is instinct. genetic memory from our days of soaring through that somewhat thicker atmosphere, the ocean.

 

[Phrak]

I can't speak for everyone, but some of us crazy lunatics have had a compulsion to throw ourselves into the air. There's nothing like the rush of pushing a hang glider into a wind and lifting into the air. You're on your own, without a noisome motor. It's clean and pure. And sometimes at the best of moments, the wind doesn't let up, but increases and you are propelled skyward and upward beyond the bounds of Earth for a time too short. We struggle and fight gravity to stay in the sky. Beats me why. I don't do it any more. It's crazy.

 

[arildno]

Because you can travel across an ocean and a continent in mere nine hours to see friends and relatives and do business. Something that took oh maybe 30 days in the time of Phileas Fogg

As an aside, Jules Verne might well have gotten his idea about Phileas Fogg&his wager from the real-life Irish adventurer and politician Thomas Whaley (1766-1800) ("Buck" Whaley)

Buck Whaley was an inveterate gambler, and in 1788, he made his "Jerusalem Wager".

Quoting from Wikipedia:

While dining with the William FitzGerald, the Duke of Leinster at Leinster House, in response to a question regarding his future travel plans, Whaley flippantly mentioned Jerusalem. This reply led to wagers totalling £15,000 being offered that Whaley could not travel to Jerusalem and back within two years and provide proof of his success. The reasoning of those offering the bets was based on the belief that, as the region was part of the Ottoman Empire and had a reputation for widespread banditry, it would be too dangerous for travellers and it would be unlikely that Whaley could complete the journey.

Whaley embarked from Dublin on 8 October 1788, with a retinue of servants and a "large stock of Madeira wine" to cheers from the large crowd assembled at the Dublin quays. Whaley sailed first to Deal, where he was joined by a companion, a Captain Wilson, for the journey, and then on to Gibraltar where a ball was held for his arrival. In Gibraltar, his party was joined by another military officer, Captain Hugh Moore. The party set sail for the port of Smyrna, although Wilson was prevented from traveling any further by rheumatic fever. The remaining pair made an overland journey from there to Constantinople, arriving in December.

The British ambassador in Constantinople introduced Whaley to the Vizier Hasan Pasha. Taking a liking to Whaley, Hasan Pasha provided him with permits to visit Jerusalem. Whaley's party left Constantinople on January 21, 1789 by ship, and sailed to Acre.

In a meeting reported in Whaley's memoirs later, he encountered the Wāli (governor) (and de facto ruler) of Acre and Galillee, Ahmed al-Jazzar. It was Whaley's twenty-second birthday. Al-Jazzar, notoriously known as "The Butcher" in the region he ruled, look a liking to Mr Whaley; and though he dismissed the documents issued in Constantinople as worthless, he permitted Whaley to continue his journey. During this audience, Whaley said in his memoirs that he interceded with al-Jazzar to stop him breaking the back of a servant with a hammer. He also tells how al-Jazzar then paraded his concubines for the visitors.

Whaley and his companions made their way overland to Jerusalem, arriving on the 28th January. During his visit, he stayed at a Franciscan monastery, the Convent of Terra Sancta. It was a signed certificate from the superior of this institution, along with detailed observations of the buildings of Jerusalem, that would provide the proof needed to prove the success of his journey. They stayed for little over a month, before returning to Ireland overland.

Whaley arrived back in Dublin in the summer of 1789 to great celebrations and collected the winnings of the wager. The trip cost him a total of £8,000, leaving him a profit of £7,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Whaley_(politician)

He wrote a memoir of his adventures, freely available on archive.org

 

[Andre]

Maybe these can explain why they want to fly:

I took this picture at 'Le Markstein' in France this afternoon.

Now who was talking about adventures and taking risks?

 

[rootX]

Let's be realistic! If we ever able to fly that wouldn't be like superman where we can fly for miles without getting tired and it would come with some costs. I am happy as such and I am not willing to lose current abilities to be able to fly.

 

[magpies]

rootX I am starting to think you hate flying :(

 

[pallidin]

Bet it's fun in the space station.

 

[MoonlitFractl]

Ever think that it comes from the thought "Everything falls, the book, the computer, even me." So when "you" are on a bridge, you realize that the bridge is not what keeps you from falling but {YOU} prevent the fall, in realization, freedom from the seemingly infante tether that protected you can be broken by sheer freewill?

 

[Geigerclick]

I want to fly, but I have an irrational fear of falling to my death.

 

[MoonlitFractl]

That's what I'm talking about! I mean take the thought of a cat climbing up a tree. The cat knowing that it can climb up is easy, but looking down is the cat is bewildered looking down and will likely not do so. If humans could control flight within their own bodies, (eg superman, something out of starwars) they'd imminently want to be sure of coming back down the same way. (also it strangely seems to leave a cloud of thought referring to Peter Pan...) But knowing the gravity of the Earth pulling you down just enough, it allows you to fall.
So I guess until science can prove a mental ability that occurs that allows the mind to defy gravity caring the body with it it's impossible to fly... (yet it seems to resonate with the crazy idea that at an X speed a molecule can leave the Earth's gravity "biologically...")

 

[Dembadon]

Freedom from gravity. Why do people want freedom?

How is one free from gravity when flying?

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of flying. It is very useful to me, as Andre has mentioned, but I don't necessarily enjoy the act.

I know a few people who enjoy flying a great deal, but I can't relate. I do enjoy the views, though.

 

[Chaballa]

What do You think: why do we want to fly so badly?

Why did Daedalus and Icarus strap wings to themselves? Why did Wright brothers construct a plane? Why do we like to fly in lucid dreams? Why do we climb Mount Everest? What did we fly to the Moon for?

Why there is such a psychological flaw in us? Why do we, land animals, want to be birds?

I presume, we were angels once upon a time, but God took our wings back after the first sin.
What do You think about this?

umm cos it would be cool? it would be even cooler if i can fly n turn into fireball like in Fantastic Four. :)

i don't get the last question.. do u also believe in Superman or Santa Claus? or maybe u took the red pill?