911 - Falling Man

[Neil]

In the picture, he departs from this earth like an arrow. Although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it. If he were not falling, he might very well be flying. He appears relaxed, hurtling through the air. He appears comfortable in the grip of unimaginable motion. He does not appear intimidated by gravity's divine suction or by what awaits him. His arms are by his side, only slightly outriggered. His left leg is bent at the knee, almost casually. His white shirt, or jacket, or frock, is billowing free of his black pants. His black high-tops are still on his feet. In all the other pictures, the people who did what he did -- who jumped -- appear to be struggling against horrific discrepancies of scale. They are made puny by the backdrop of the towers, which loom like colossi, and then by the event itself. Some of them are shirtless; their shoes fly off as they flail and fall; they look confused, as though trying to swim down the side of a mountain. The man in the picture, by contrast, is perfectly vertical, and so is in accord with the lines of the buildings behind him. He splits them, bisects them: Everything to the left of him in the picture is the North Tower; everything to the right, the South. Though oblivious to the geometric balance he has achieved, he is the essential element in the creation of a new flag, a banner composed entirely of steel bars shining in the sun. Some people who look at the picture see stoicism, willpower, a portrait of resignation; others see something else -- something discordant and therefore terrible: freedom. There is something almost rebellious in the man's posture, as though once faced with the inevitability of death, he decided to get on with it; as though he were a missile, a spear, bent on attaining his own end. He is, fifteen seconds past 9:41 a.m. EST, the moment the picture is taken, in the clutches of pure physics, accelerating at a rate of thirty-two feet per second squared. He will soon be traveling at upwards of 150 miles per hour, and he is upside down. In the picture, he is frozen; in his life outside the frame, he drops and keeps dropping until he disappears.

[capncnut]

He probably used to bungee jump.

[Tricky]

Having done a skydive myself, I can say he probably didnt feel like he was falling,especially if he closed his eyes, still a horrible way to die though & even 8 years on that whole day still sickens me, & look how much the world has changed since the towers came down

[Neil]

Having done a skydive myself, I can say he probably didnt feel like he was falling,especially if he closed his eyes, still a horrible way to die though & even 8 years on that whole day still sickens me, & look how much the world has changed since the towers came down I can probably say he definately felt like he was falling. High up at 12,500 feet, with no clouds, it does indeed feel like you're floating, apart from the wind... The closest thing is 12,500ft away and you have no preception of it getting closer. The moment, even at that height, there's anything at a closer reference point (eg: clouds) the illusion is destroyed as you see things moving, and your brain knows you're not staying at the same height. I can only imagine flying down a few tens of feet away from a building wall, and seeing the ground just a few hundred feet away getting quickly closer, there would be no doubt that you were falling

[AcesandEights]

I always have mixed feelings about 9/11 remembrances, usually something having to do with skepticism of the person or organization's motives, but this is--for me, I'll say--a touching work. Interesting story behind it, as well.

[Purge]

He probably used to bungee jump. Have some respect, huh? To Neil and our British brothers, thanks for doing this each year and honoring that day. It's much appreciated.

[capncnut]

Have some respect, huh? Actually my comment was perfectly serious about the way he was falling, I'd just woken up so gimme a break. And as for 9/11, I don't bother watching anniversaries because I don't like to dwell and I don't need reminding.

[Neil]

I always have mixed feelings about 9/11 remembrances, usually something having to do with skepticism of the person or organization's motives, but this is--for me, I'll say--a touching work. Interesting story behind it, as well. The documentary (mentioned on that page) was very moving... And I guess that's why the image is all the more powerful for me...

[MinionZombie]

The documentary (mentioned on that page) was very moving... And I guess that's why the image is all the more powerful for me... Aye I remember watching that last year, or the year before, whenever it was on. Fascinating, but also makes you think - what would you do? With two options - stay in there and burn/choke to death - or jump? Now I've heard that you'd black out before you actually reach the ground, so surely that'd be the way to go? I think that would be what I'd choose - I know, I know, easy to say just sat here at my computer, but seriously ... in my mind, with those two options, and when you know there's no way out - I think it's gonna have to be to do it on your own (albeit incredibly limited) terms. It's also an incredible photo, and very chilling. ... I meant to watch that thing "102 Minutes That Changed America", but I missed it both times on More4 and Channel4 ... and I missed it on one of the Sky channels. I will say the best documentary I've seen about 9/11 is titled just that, done by those French brothers who were documenting that fire station - an incredible documentary. As for a narrative film based on the day, United 93 is the "best" one - that film was so insanely moving it was ... well, incredible ... when they make their surge for the terrorist pilots at the end I was on the edge of my seat, gripped in a way I'd never been gripped before by a film. One of the most powerful film viewing experiences I've ever had. ... As for the day itself, I think it's important to remember every year - not only for being the defining event of the 21st century (and in the 2nd year of said century too! ... and yes I know we're only in 2009, but you know what I mean) ... but also because it shows mankind at its worst, and mankind at its best. When stricken by disaster and terror and unimaginable horror, you really can trust in your fellow man.

[Neil]

I think given the choice between those ever increasing temperatures having reached such painful heights (to the poiint of being unbearable) ,and jumping ,most people who probably jump. I suspect most people given impending painful death or a chance of a further 10 seconds more of life (by jumping), would go for the latter...

[Mike70]

i watched a doc on 9/11 last night on the history channel. i thought it was okay but i can only watch what amounts to the same shots of buildings collapsing, debris clouds and people running through the streets, so many times before it loses any sense of meaning and becomes boring.

[Tricky]

Now I've heard that you'd black out before you actually reach the ground, so surely that'd be the way to go? . Again relating back to my skydive, I jumped from 15,000ft & got a good 8 or 9000ft freefall in before the chute opened,& I was never in any danger of blacking out with no oxygen mask etc so im guessing thats a myth unless you passed out through sheer terror! Im not sure what decision I would have made to be honest, I wouldnt want to burn alive but neither would I want that pant wetting terror of jumping to certain death, though I suspect it would have been difficult to have stayed rational in there! Its one day where you'd have wished you were an experienced base jumper & just happened to have had your kit in your locker at work...

[kortick]

From The Straight Dope: Skydivers in free fall routinely reach terminal velocity, i.e., the speed at which air resistance and weight balance out and acceleration stops, which often exceeds 120 mph. During a typical plunge they may drop 10,000 feet in 60 seconds, remaining conscious throughout. (The free-fall speed record, incidentally, is 614 mph, set in 1960 by Joseph Kittinger, who stepped out of a balloon gondola into the exceedingly thin air at 103,000 feet.) Nonetheless the belief persists that anyone leaping or falling from a great height blacks out, has the breath sucked out of them, etc. Fact is, some pass out, but not all. We know this because people have in fact survived a leap off the Golden Gate Bridge, and staying alert is one reason they did. But can you believe this guy dropped from 103,000 ft? I thought 13,500 was something, now I feel like i jumped off a sidewalk onto the street. I think those people jumped because the heat of the fire was so intense it triggered an almost primal urge to flee from it.

[ProfessorChaos]

As for a narrative film based on the day, United 93 is the "best" one - that film was so insanely moving it was ... well, incredible ... when they make their surge for the terrorist pilots at the end I was on the edge of my seat, gripped in a way I'd never been gripped before by a film. One of the most powerful film viewing experiences I've ever had. i remember the first time i saw this film i was literally moved to tears...and i'm not exactly the emotional and sappy type whatsoever....

[MinionZombie]

i remember the first time i saw this film i was literally moved to tears...and i'm not exactly the emotional and sappy type whatsoever.... Exactly. ... As for the blackout issue, well even still, I think I'd choose to jump instead of burn/choke to death.