Mortification of the Flesh

A couple of classes ago, I was showing my students a film from 1909 of Wilbur Wright and his airplane.  They mounted the camera on the plane to get what would be the first aerial shots.  One of the students confessed that while watching, he secretly wanted to see the plane crash, explaining "I guess I'm just a Jackass fan".  I took the opportunity to share my theory that the appeal of Jackass is similar to that of the martyrdom of saints - so you can suffer agonies by proxy.  That made the whole class wake up and pay attention.  They wanted to hear more, but then the bell rang.  It's fun to be the professor who is full of surprises.