ShanePerez.com

Friday, April 23, 2010

Why?

As of a few days ago, it seems a post I made on this blog back in December is getting a bit of attention from the local Orlando media. As such if you are reading this, you are probably someone that caught this on the evening news or maybe from one of the WDW forums that seem to be creating alot of the hype about it. I've been getting quite a few emails and alot of comments from people ranging from "Thanks so much for doing this, I've always wanted to see it!" to "You guys are idiots and God will sort you out" and I feel like I should speak a bit about motivations and intentions.

While I do enjoy things like big Hollywood movies, theme parks, roller coasters, haunted houses, and other similar attractions, they have always felt a bit hollow. You know there is always going to be a happy ending. The CGI dinosaurs aren't gonna really eat the kids, the hero is going to save the day, and nobody is going to get hurt. That sense of knowing that it's artificial has always put a bit of a damper on those forms of entertainment for me. I started seeking out other ways of having real experiences on my own back in high school and that is what eventually led me to recreational trespassing. I didn't have the means to go out and participate in adventures like climbing mountains or hardcore cave diving, so I did the next best thing, exploring decayed and neglected man-made structures. I got to rediscover places that had been forgotten by others as well as challenge myself in ways that I never had before. It made me see the world in a different way and I don't think I could go back to seeing it the way I did before. It gave me confidence, motivation, and satisfied my natural human curiosity.

How many people are killed each year in auto accidents? How about heart disease from eating terrible unhealthy food? Cancer? These are all things that kill ridiculously huge amounts of people each year, but nobody gives you a lecture about how irresponsible you are when you order a Double Quarter Pounder at McDonalds or get in your SUV to head to work. I could just as easily drown in a lake or fall off of a bridge as I could slip in the tub or get hit by a bus crossing a street. Yet many people still feel the need to tell me what risks I should or should not take with my own life. Alot of this seems to come from the relatively recent trend of people filing lawsuits for every dumb thing that they can't take responsibility for like spilling obviously hot coffee on their laps. It really is pretty ridiculous and suing someone is something I would never consider if I were ever injured in the course of recreational trespassing. I am the only person truly responsible for my own well-being and it would be a much better world if everyone felt the same way.

So why do I go to the places I go and do the things I do? Because they are there and because they are beautiful. I am afraid, not of getting hurt or killed, but of missing out on an opportunity to live my life to it's fullest potential. I have no regrets for the things I have done, my only regrets are for the things I didn't have the courage to do when given the opportunity.


"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. " -Helen Keller

15 comments:

  1. Is Disney really trying to ban you? I don't see how they could realistically enforce that, but what would be the point? You could have posted this stuff anonymously, but you published it under your name. It seems obvious you have nothing to hide and weren't doing this for some malicious reason.

    *leave only footprints; take only pictures*

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  2. I found this site because of the news stories and I'm glad I did. What you did was very adventurous and I'm glad I got to see some of the photos you were able to take. I also got to read some of your other adventures, like the NASA rocket facility, and I found them inspiring and entertaining. While most of us are dreaming of adventures you are actually out having them.

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  3. Fair play mate, one of the best examples pretty much describing why many like you do this kind of activity!.

    Bring on bigger, better, tougher and more rewarding things in the future!

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing your pictures.. Every year on the 4th of July we camp at Fort Wilderness. When I was I child my parents always use to take us to Discovery Island and River Country. Now as a parent of 2 kids It makes me sad that my children will never go there. My daughter was so excited to see your pictures.Every time we go on the boats my daughter always wants to know if the Island will ever open again. I wish it would. I have some really great memories of both places. THANK YOU so much for sharing your pictures :0)

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  5. Amazing, I love it!

    -Kim, Florida

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  6. Thank you, I've had much entertainment from your Discovery Island Adventure. You're a real life Peter Pan!

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  7. I just found your documentary on NETFLIX!!!! SO AWESOME!!!!

    Hope things are going well with ya.

    Mike/Gamefacelyric

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  8. Hi there - I linked here through the Discovery Island thing (I went to River Country when we visited Disney as a child - I was sad to hear it is closed although I'm sure there are already bigger, better things for my kids to experience).

    Anyway, I looked through your portfolio and I'm so glad I stumbled upon you. Several of your photos ("Pipes" in the Environment comes to mind) have me going back to look at them again and again.

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  9. I hope you are able to continue doing what you love and thank you for sharing it with people like me who can vicariously live through your adventures.

    Please keep safe and take good care!

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  10. Dude seriously... no one in America has jobs, or a lot of news to cover so they are picking on the little guys who take risks, and implement REAL adventure in their lives... I.E. You.

    You are a modern day Indiana Jones of sorts, so whatever - Fuck em'.

    All the people with the "god will sort you out" comments are ignorant, bored individuals with no excitement in their life. Their form of excitement is bashing thrill seekers.

    Rules are meant to be broken people. Either live life to the fullest or dont. And if others choose to live theirs full of excitement don't bash them for having the huevos you don't!

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  11. Hi Shane, Yeah for you!, you owned your actions, and like the rest who have posted here I see nothing wrong with it. Thanks for sharing. As for Disney, the'll get over it and roll on..

    Shane, I first learned about you and your adventures today via the instant download of the DVD on Netflix --Urban Explorers-- which you were featured in.. So I decided to researched you and see what you have been up to lately. LOL I was not disappointed. I love your FREE SPIRIT...

    Personally, I was glued to the DVD when you went into the NASA silo. I just wish there would of been more photos, but the ones I did see were SUPER GREAT!!

    Again, thank you for sharing your experience, and doing the things that a lot of us would love to do but can't.

    Rock on my friend damaging nothing, taking only photos, leaving footprints of exploration, and sharing with the world what life was like in days gone by.
    ~Nyx DarkSky~

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  12. I gotta say I understand what you mean about the hallow feeling from attractions. I am the same way, I crave doing risky things like base jumping, climbing mountains, and exploring regions that seem new and unusual. In Florida there is a lot to explore, but it is so protected and most charge a large amount to experience. It kills the risk and excitement. I explore places whenever I get the chance, hope to explore other parts of the world in the future. Yet people always complain about the risk and dangers. For people like that I have a simple question.
    If you live a life free of risk and try to avoid everything you are told is dangerous then is that truly living?
    what isthe point of living without taking risk?
    Historical heros all took some sort of risk and we praise them, so why is taking a risk such a bad thing?

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  13. I think it's amazing that you go into these places. I think you're a seasoned urban explorer and you'll take the care needed to make sure that you don't get hurt or that your crew doesn't get hurt.

    I loved the pictures from River Country/Discovery Island. I can't believed I've lived here for so long and had never heard of (or just don't remember) either park. And, I won't lie, it's kind of fun that you were able to get to some place that Disney would rather you not. It's not like you're breaking the magic. Who wouldn't want to know the secrets that Disney is hiding?

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