From the [French] translated as “call of the void”. It is the sensation of, when presented with an open expanse where one could fall, the urge to jump [over the edge].

I have experienced this sensation my whole life whenever I’ve stood near a ledge that is even just one or two feet up. Whether there was a railing or not, it didn’t matter what was on the other side, there has always been this nagging necessity to…be there. It has nothing to do with suicidal tendencies, a [acrophobia|fear of heights], or any relation to how far the drop was. I simply felt a need to jump.

Because this is a constant presence in my psyche, it has always filled me with concern. On occasion I do give in and make the leap, but fortunately my innate [sense of self preservation] has kept me from doing anything fatal. Again, I say it’s not due to suicidal tendencies. I’ve discussed this with people before, and that has always been the conclusion they drew. [paradox|Paradoxically], I dislike the sensation of falling, which is why I avoid [roller coaster|roller coasters], but [elevator jumping|jumping in elevators] can be a treat.

Until recently, I thought this was unique to me. Then I found out some [poet] set a name to it. After some research, it actually seems to be rather common. But how does that make sense? Granted it could account for a percentage of suicides, but why would something like this manifest in the architecture of the human [brain]? Maybe there had been a meeting on what we would [evolve] into, but the bird delegation ended up in the minority.

l’appel du vide