ABSTRACT
We can’t understand everything. A narrative is an endless journey. H. Mankell, The White Lion
The experiential approach to consumption is present in many compartments of life. Although it is likely to apply to relatively ordinary consumption phenomena, it quite naturally finds a vast field of investigation in the arena of leisure as well. This can involve cultural practices or tourism (Holbrook and Hirschman, 1982). When seen in this light, risky practices are particularly attractive to many consumers (particularly young adults), as they are likely to generate a whole range of emotions. Indeed, we believed in the existence of a mythology of modern adventure (Le Breton, 2000), one that, based on an intense commitment, would induce individuals to associate (at least symbolically) with death. We view risky practices as modern ordeals whose vocation is to provide answers to questions about the meaning of life. By turning to external forces and thereby imitating the classical ordeal with its reliance on divine sanction, individuals seek a definitive sanction that will supposedly resolve the tensions they feel with their social or cultural environments. From this view, the experiential
n Risk-taking contains the promise of an extraordinary consumption experience.
