§1. If there’s one thing that divides me and my friends into two different groups, it’s scary rides like the roller coaster. There are those, like my sister, who are willing to stand in a queue for hours waiting to get onto the latest ride. Then there are other people like me, who prefer to wait at the bottom and hold everyone’s bags. I sometimes wonder what it is that makes us so different.

§2. Some people think it’s to do with the way children today are over-protected by their parents. Kids are rarely given the chance to do anything that might result in them getting hurt. Rides like the roller coaster allow people to feel fear, scream, shout, throw their arms in the air and enjoy themselves, knowing they are safe. My sister is like this and seems to be very scared but also having great fun.

§3. But if that’s the reason, why do I avoid going on these rides? My parents were just as concerned about my safety as my sister’s. In fact, as I was the first to be born, they probably worried about me even more to begin with. So this doesn’t explain the difference between us. Clearly there must be some other reason why some of us enjoy feeling frightened out of our lives and others prefer to have a quiet life.

§4. But perhaps science has the answer. It might actually be because of our brains and particular chemicals in our body. There is one chemical called dopamine that is linked to our enjoyment of doing exciting things. People with more of this chemical are likely to enjoy activities like roller coasters. So, perhaps I don’t simply have a lack of courage but of dopamine compared to my sister. Fortunately, as we get older, we are less likely to choose to take part in rides like the roller coaster. Perhaps older people are clever enough to realise that we should avoid such things and take it easy, though I ’m not sure my sister will agree.