Hobbes the Cliff Diver

Death scares people away from many things. The fear of heights, flying, and many other "risky" endeavors aren't for everyone. People are so afraid of death that they will avoid anything that doesn't seem safe.
Over the summer my family and I rented a houseboat on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky.

While on our 4 day adventure up and down the the miles and miles of Lake Cumberland we came up on a stretch of cliffs overhanging the water. While on the boat of course all I wanted to do was jump off the top of the 50 foot cliff into the water. At the time it seemed like the most exhilarating adventure. I begged my parents to dock the boat and please let me adventure up the cliffs. After climbing to the top I overlooked the water with my swim trunks on and was....scared for my life. Now I am no cliff jumping expert but I was pretty sure the jump couldn't kill me or hurt me. However the fear of the unknown, death, stopped me from even getting to close to the edge. My older brother came up to me and simply asked are you going to jump? In my head the answer was absolutely not. However I replied "I am not sure." My brother was egging me on, calling me every synonym for a coward. Though this enraged me, rage was not about to send me to my death. My brother however is much bigger than me. I'm a bean pole while he is a macho meat head.

 His taunts switched to threats. "Jeff if you don't jump, I will throw you off." As soon as I could think to run away he had already grabbed me. He took me to the edge of the cliff and said you jump now or else I will throw you myself. I overlooked the cliff one more time and fear paralyzed my body. However for some reason the fear of him throwing me was greater than the fear of jumping. I knew to myself if my brother was leading me, he wouldn't lead me to death.

Thomas Hobbes believed the best way for a leader to get his subjects to listen and obey him was the fear of death. Hobbes explains that the fear of death will drive a man to search for peace. My peace was being back on the boat. I could have struggled and struggled with my brother, however I knew that would be a lost the battle. Whether my brother would have actually thrown me over the edge never even crossed my mind. I said "ok ok Michael I'm going to jump." He let me go while staying close with a smirk on his face. I stood on the edge for a second looked down, then at my brother and jumped. The free fall felt amazing, the adrenaline took over and my fear was gone. I hit the water sunk down several yards and immediately swam to the surface for air. When I rose to the top I was congratulated like a king from my family. My brother later asked, "aren't you glad I did that?" My answer was a simple "yes". Though my brother had taken my life in his hands and scared me to do what he wanted, it was truly what I wanted. Though the moral issue of controlling another man's life is wrong, my brother used if for my own good. Hobbes was right. You can control someone with the threat of their life. 

This isn't me but it is the cliff.