Last week, the story of the Titan submersible gripped the headlines as one of those chilling stories that tends to captivate the world from time to time.

The submersible was built, hastily, to continue to push the boundaries of human movement through exploring two miles toward the Atlantic Ocean floor, where the wreckage from the Titanic rests. Passengers on that vessel allegedly paid approximately $250,000 for a spot in the cramped sub, where they would have some of the best views of the Titanic wreckage humans have ever seen.

You know the rest. The craft got stuck and a worldwide search ensued as news broke it was believed the submersible had a finite amount of oxygen to sustain human life.

It was a horribly sad story, as Naval fleets from North America and Europe rushed to search for the Titan, to no avail. Then, as debris was found, it was quickly determined the craft suffered a “catastrophic implosion,” and those aboard likely perished instantaneously.

It was harrowing and sad, then just sad.

I sincerely pray for the families who lost their loved ones as the whole world peeked in. What should have been a private process became a public spectacle.

Why the five people onboard were on the submersible is an interesting part of that story. Humans have forever pushed the boundaries of what is possible — that spirit got us to the moon, to the summit of Mount Everest, and to cure many a disease.

But, as technology continues to innovate and the amount of money some accumulate also compounds, the intersection is a burgeoning desire to “go where no man has gone before.”

A New York Times article pointed to the growing “high-risk travel” industry, where those with the means seek adventures that few have embarked upon. Commercial space flight is the most famous of that type, but the article pointed to swimming with great white sharks, exploring Antarctica, and even visiting historical sites in war-torn Sudan as other examples.

This quote really struck me. It was from Peter Anderson, managing director of Knightsbridge Circle, a luxury concierge service.

“They’re so accustomed to what they consider to be typical vacations that they begin to seek out more unique experiences, many of which involve a degree of risk,” Anderson told the Times.

I think of the fine line between pushing the limits of what we know with the common good in mind and pushing the limits of what we can do with business interests or leisurely adventures in mind. It’s quite the juxtaposition for me.

When talking about danger once, a friend mentioned that, at any moment, we could walk down the street and be hit by a car. We just don’t know.

But to tempt death by engaging in highly risky behavior? That doesn’t seem to be in our best interest.

With the Fourth of July upcoming, I think of the real risk those colonial settlers put themselves through with dreams of freedom and a vision for a better life.

Those of us in the United States and other free nations live those freedoms every day, and I think it’s good to pause and reflect on the risk and sacrifice many have put themselves through to either gain or protect those rights.

Those freedoms paved the way for incredible innovation and technology that has moved our society forward and ultimately paved the path for things like space travel and sea travel.

Risk is part of life and is often necessary. Every decision involves some level of risk. When it is unnecessary, however, it is a bad look.

To me, the major take of the submersible saga is that we as humans need to do a better job of understanding risk and its power, and that there are some levels of risk that no amount of money can combat.

Alpena native Jeremy Speer is the publisher of The Courier in Findlay, Ohio, the Sandusky (Ohio) Register, The Advertiser-Tribune in Tiffin, Ohio, the Norwalk (Ohio) Reflector, and Review Times in Fostoria, Ohio. He can be reached at jeremyspeer@thecourier.com.