Gunthr, I really got you revved up but this was not my post's first intent (I'll admit that there are more polite ways to express what I said).
You have to understand though that it is insulting to call someone suicidal just because his risk level acceptance
for a given activity is higher than yours. Notice the use of italics: I like to skydive, I'm attracted by BASE, but the mere idea of i.e. cave diving is giving me cold sweats. This is why I never use the fear card when someone antagonize my hobby: even if you think that the skydiving or BASE rewards don't amount to the risks involved, you may be doing something else that would make me puke out of fear (like HOing FW190s in a C.202
).
It all boils down to this: are the rewards worth the risks? It's a personal question and the answer differs from an individual to the other. One thing is sure, you have to skydive or BASE jumping for yourself, because you enjoy it, and not for trying to look cool to the others.
What are the rewards for me? Experiencing a real true freedom during 50-70 secs, flying a canopy, having my mind cleaned from everyday's problems and the pettyness of our lifestyle after a jumping day, meeting friendly people... I'm far from a good enough writer to be able to give you a glimpse of the feelings.
I'll be honest, the possibility of death plays a part too: it is, for me, exhilarating to do something unforgiving where you have to display skills to survive. You also have to discipline yourself: this is not a game and complacency is a door left open to nasty things. OTOH, I feel much better in my head today than 2 years ago and by realizing that every day my be my last one (a simple fact that too much of us forget too often), I feel that I have my life's priorities sorted.
My 0.05 $ theory is that human beings, like any other animal, have been programmed to deal with life-threathening situations on a regular basis. Our society aims at removing those situations from our lives. While it is certainly morally right to do so, I'm convinced that so much people are dysfunctional in the western societies just because of that
Are skydivers and BASE jumpers contributing to the evolution of technology? Certainly not as much as the Wright Brothers (who must've been called 'suicidals' more than once back in their days). Nonetheless, the sport practice has contributed to make better, smaller and safer parachutes and harnesses for pilots, airborne troops, smoke jumpers,... and also to broaden the use of those devices (i.e. military tandems used to bring a non-jumper tech/medic/translator/... where he is needed). It is also possible that BASE jumping will eventually lead to the development of a parachute emergency system designed to quickly evacuate skyscrapers.
The BASE fatality list is well known in the BASE and skydiving communities. Some people on this list made (or, like the last entry, repeated 
) gross mistakes or showed poor judgement; some did everything right and still died. Some were huge risk takers, some were more careful. Some were misfits, some were caring husbands and fathers. Most weren't suicidal. They were doing something that they loved, were aware of the possible outcome and (with one or two exceptions) weren't endangering anyone else (unlike the usual drunk Billy Joe speeding on the highway on a saturday evening). You may not approve, you may not understand, but please don't be disrespectful by passing an absolute judgement on something you know next to nothing about.
