---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What can you say about a man who leaps…"
description: "\"What can you say about a man who leaps from a helicopter over Manhattan without a parachute in the hope that by increasing his heart rate he'll transfo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg"
---

#  What can you say about a man who leaps from a helicopter…

![“What can you say about a man who leaps from a helicopter over Manhattan without a parachute in the hope that by increasing his heart rate he'll transform into an iridescent lime-green behemoth so he can take on an even bigger behemoth? That he knows he's living in a computer-generated universe in…” quote by David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg)

> “What can you say about a man who leaps from a helicopter over Manhattan without a parachute in the hope that by increasing his heart rate he'll transform into an iridescent lime-green behemoth so he can take on an even bigger behemoth? That he knows he's living in a computer-generated universe in which gravity is a feeble suggestion and nothing is remotely at stake, and that when he hits the ground he'll be replaced by a special effect. The Incredible Hulk is weightless-as disposable as an Xbox game.”

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A reckless act driven by absurd belief highlights the absurdity of seeking meaning in a simulated reality.

**In simple terms:** Crazy stunts expose existential absurdity.

Key Takeaway

Question reality and purpose.

Themes

existentialism absurdity simulation risk identity

Mood

cynical provocative

Type

philosophical satirical

When to use this quote

- gaming culture
- extreme sports
- virtual reality
- creative writing

Key Concepts

philosophical inquiry risk assessment media critique

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives people to seek meaning through dangerous feats?
- Does believing in a simulation change moral responsibility?

A Different Perspective

Such actions may be self-destructive rather than enlightening.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Behemoth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behemoth/) [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Disposable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposable/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [Gravity Feeble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity-feeble-5635300/) [Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/green/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-rate/) [Helicopters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helicopters/) [Hulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hulk/) [Hulk Weightless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hulk-weightless-5635299/) [Incredible hulk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredible-hulk/) [Incredibles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibles/) [Iridescent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iridescent/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) [Lime green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lime-green/) [Limes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limes/) [Manhattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manhattan/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parachutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parachutes/) [Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rate/) [Replaced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/replaced/) [Special](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special/) [Special effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-effects/) [Stakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stakes/) [Suggestions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestions/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Weightless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weightless/) [Xbox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/xbox/)

## Related quotes

> [I have a '72 Volkswagen bus and it's lime green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-stills/i-have-a-72-volkswagen-bus-and-it-s-lime-green/)

[Kenny Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-stills/)

> [“On the first day of Human Sexuality, Ruth Ramsey wore a short lime green skirt, a clingy black top, and strappy high-heeled sandals, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/on-the-first-day-of-human-sexuality-ruth-ramsey-wore-a-short-lime/)

[Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/)

> [My sister, when we were in Elementary school, had one particular lime green fuzzy troll doll sweater with a gem sticking out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/my-sister-when-we-were-in-elementary-school-had-one-particular-lime/)

[Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/)

> [“Quote is taken from Chapter 1: A decade ago when Isabel’s husband Max had died, they’d moved in together and merged their possessions. Neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-lynskey/quote-is-taken-from-chapter-1-a-decade-ago-when-isabel-s-husband-max/)

[Ed Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-lynskey/)

> [When you're 25 or 30, you know, you can't wear lime-green eye shadow anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/when-you-re-25-or-30-you-know-you-can-t-wear-lime-green-eye-shadow/)

[Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/)

> [My first day of high school, I wore brown boys' corduroys that my mom had sewn Sesame Street elastic into - they were my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-russell/my-first-day-of-high-school-i-wore-brown-boys-corduroys-that-my-mom/)

[Cameron Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-russell/)

> [“COLEMAN SLEEPING BAG: LIGHTWEIGHT, LIME GREEN W/ BEIGE INTERIOR, WELL USED, ZIPPER BROKEN. 22 T-SHIRTS, SEVEN: ASSORTED BRANDS, COLORS, AND STYLES. 23 ENERGIZER LED…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-dilts/coleman-sleeping-bag-lightweight-lime-green-w-beige-interior-well/)

[Tyler Dilts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-dilts/)

> [I wanted to restore an ancient house in Kent, and that's what I did. It was a heap - this Tudor building with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/i-wanted-to-restore-an-ancient-house-in-kent-and-that-s-what-i-did-it/)

[Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/)

> [I'm not that interested in fashion... When someone says that lime-green is the new black for this season, you just want to tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-oldfield/i-m-not-that-interested-in-fashion-when-someone-says-that-lime-green/)

[Bruce Oldfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-oldfield/)

> [The obvious precedent for Beijing 2008 was the Berlin Olympics, in 1936. Both were showcases for a muscle-flexing nation, although Hitler made an elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lane/the-obvious-precedent-for-beijing-2008-was-the-berlin-olympics-in/)

[Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lane/)

> [When I was younger, my mum used to dress me in, like, lime green leggings with a matching neon jumper and hair scrunch, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-turner/when-i-was-younger-my-mum-used-to-dress-me-in-like-lime-green/)

[Sophie Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-turner/)

> [I hope I'm always appropriate on 'JR' if it's a serious case. But if you have a case of a man who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-hope-i-m-always-appropriate-on-jr-if-it-s-a-serious-case-but-if-you/)

[Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/)

> [“I added pieces the same way I’d constructed my body, from the inside out: boy-cut panties first (lacy), bra (sheer), stockings (thigh high), knee-length…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/i-added-pieces-the-same-way-i-d-constructed-my-body-from-the-inside/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [I'm not afraid of anything. My two favorite colors are lime green and hot pink. I mean, I really like pink. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubba-watson/i-m-not-afraid-of-anything-my-two-favorite-colors-are-lime-green-and/)

[Bubba Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubba-watson/)

> [You don't have to paint your walls lime green just to try to have your home feel decorated. If you're a classic dresser or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/you-don-t-have-to-paint-your-walls-lime-green-just-to-try-to-have/)

[Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/)

## More by David Edelstein

> [Let me tell you, if your marriage is in trouble, skip the therapist and find a psycho. Nothing brings people together faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/let-me-tell-you-if-your-marriage-is-in-trouble-skip-the-therapist-and/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [There will be a competition among critics for the best Paris Hilton insult. Here's my first: Her attention span is so short that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/there-will-be-a-competition-among-critics-for-the-best-paris-hilton/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [If I had to catalog all the moronic plot turns in The Day After Tomorrow, we'd be here until the next ice age. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/if-i-had-to-catalog-all-the-moronic-plot-turns-in-the-day-after/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [Well, the movie isn't bad. For a while, I even told myself I liked it, even as it missed one mark after another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/well-the-movie-isn-t-bad-for-a-while-i-even-told-myself-i-liked-it/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [My fears are the obvious ones: that marketplace-minded publishers - all four of them - will shy further away from literary fiction, international authors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/my-fears-are-the-obvious-ones-that-marketplace-minded-publishers-all/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [You won't be reading reviews of the dystopian sci-fi flick Aeon Flux in the papers today because it wasn't screened for the press-and, given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/you-won-t-be-reading-reviews-of-the-dystopian-sci-fi-flick-aeon-flux/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [Russell Crowe is normally an actor who disappears so far into his characters you'd swear his DNA has been altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/russell-crowe-is-normally-an-actor-who-disappears-so-far-into-his/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [Every year, I'm depressed that so few of the documentaries I've loved break through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/every-year-i-m-depressed-that-so-few-of-the-documentaries-i-ve-loved/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [Argo might well be studied as a bait-and-switch masterwork: In showing the capture of the American Embassy in Tehran, Ben Affleck first made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/argo-might-well-be-studied-as-a-bait-and-switch-masterwork-in-showing/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [It's no mystery why many of us in the media can't get enough of the fabricators Jayson Blair and Stephen Glass, the latter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/it-s-no-mystery-why-many-of-us-in-the-media-can-t-get-enough-of-the/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [The English have a wellspring of comedy that will never be exhausted: the combination of bestial urges and excellent manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/the-english-have-a-wellspring-of-comedy-that-will-never-be-exhausted/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [Ever since the Tim Burton Batman of 1989, it has been de rigueur in movies to focus on the freaky alienation aspect of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/ever-since-the-tim-burton-batman-of-1989-it-has-been-de-rigueur-in/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [Richard Curtis, the writer and director of Love Actually, is brilliant at many things, but his genius, I submit, is for thrusting characters into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/richard-curtis-the-writer-and-director-of-love-actually-is-brilliant/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [King Arthur is profoundly stupid and inept.. then there's Clive Owen, rising above it all. Aloof yet watchful, the actor cultivates an inner stillness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/king-arthur-is-profoundly-stupid-and-inept-then-there-s-clive-owen/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

> [My reaction to 'Sin City' is easily stated. I loved it. Or, to put it another way, I loved it, I loved it, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/my-reaction-to-sin-city-is-easily-stated-i-loved-it-or-to-put-it/)

[David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

[Explore all 35 David Edelstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/)

## More Behemoth quotes

> [I rarely ever put my head above the rampart and see where this big lumbering behemoth called 'global literature' is going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/i-rarely-ever-put-my-head-above-the-rampart-and-see-where-this-big/)

[David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/)

> [We can't defend Japan, a behemoth, selling us cars by the million.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-can-t-defend-japan-a-behemoth-selling-us-cars-by-the-million/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [America has an interesting global role, don't we? It certainly seems to be changing. Our government right now has a softer hand than we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-courier/america-has-an-interesting-global-role-don-t-we-it-certainly-seems-to/)

[Jim Courier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-courier/)

> [We've got crazy little sites going up against established media behemoths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-got-crazy-little-sites-going-up-against-established-media/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [The turn of the century was the age of the banker, so much so that the leading bankers of the day had become legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/the-turn-of-the-century-was-the-age-of-the-banker-so-much-so-that-the/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [ A different \[Ronald\] Reagan-era authority: EO 12333, an executive order for foreign-intelligence collection, as opposed to the ones we now use domestically. So this… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-different-ronald-reagan-era-authority-eo-12333-an-executive-order/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [f the government is going to put money into the automobile sector, it should break up GM and Chrysler as a condition of financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/f-the-government-is-going-to-put-money-into-the-automobile-sector-it/)

[Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/)

> [Out of the sea will rise Behemoth and Leviathan, and sail 'round the high-pooped galleys... Dragons will wander about the waste places, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/out-of-the-sea-will-rise-behemoth-and-leviathan-and-sail-round-the/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [This is the way addled liberals really think. Even as they champion sucking the brains out of little babies, they think of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/this-is-the-way-addled-liberals-really-think-even-as-they-champion/)

[Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/)

> [Logic is immaturity weaving its nets of gossamer wherewith it aims to catch the behemoth of knowledge. Logic is a crutch for the cripple,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-naimy/logic-is-immaturity-weaving-its-nets-of-gossamer-wherewith-it-aims-to/)

[Mikhail Naimy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-naimy/)

> [“I was the chief of security on this civilian behemoth. Yes, that’s right – I used a big word – try not to faint.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/i-was-the-chief-of-security-on-this-civilian-behemoth-yes-that-s/)

[Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/)

> [You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness, who was getting muddled by Koroviev. Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied. 'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bulgakov/you-re-not-dostoevsky-said-the-citizeness-who-was-getting-muddled-by/)

[Mikhail Bulgakov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bulgakov/)

> [The late '60s and the '70s, a lot of this really beautiful equipment was being made and installed into studios around the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/the-late-60s-and-the-70s-a-lot-of-this-really-beautiful-equipment-was/)

[Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/)

> [Governance is complex, difficult, and on the whole, thankless - why ever should the Bright Young Things leave the management of their hotels, newspapers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upamanyu-chatterjee/governance-is-complex-difficult-and-on-the-whole-thankless-why-ever/)

[Upamanyu Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upamanyu-chatterjee/)

> [The part of Stripe that I've always found most interesting is the idea of facilitating new commerce that wouldn't otherwise happen. Payouts is turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/the-part-of-stripe-that-i-ve-always-found-most-interesting-is-the/)

[Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/)

[Browse all 22 Behemoth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behemoth/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What can you say about a man who leaps from a helicopter over Manhattan without a parachute in the hope that by increasing his heart rate he'll transform into an iridescent lime-green behemoth so he can take on an even bigger behemoth? That he knows he's living in a computer-generated universe in which gravity is a feeble suggestion and nothing is remotely at stake, and that when he hits the ground he'll be replaced by a special effect. The Incredible Hulk is weightless-as disposable as an Xbox game.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Edelstein"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-from-a-helicopter-over/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Behemoth"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-from-a-helicopter-over/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/david-edelstein-18389_behemoth_what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-f_3147493.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What can you say about a man who leaps from a helicopter over Manhattan without a parachute in the hope that…” — David Edelstein",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Edelstein",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What can you say about a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-from-a-helicopter-over/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-leaps-from-a-helicopter-over/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
