No, vertigo is something other than the fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves.
Vertigo is more than just the fear of falling; it's an alluring sensation that draws us towards the void beneath. It represents a deeper psychological experience where the emptiness below entices us, sparking a desire to surrender to the fall, even as we instinctively resist it. This complex interplay between attraction and fear defines our relationship with risks and the unknown.
Milan Kundera’s exploration of vertigo in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" emphasizes how this feeling isn’t simply about trepidation. Instead, it captures a fundamental human struggle—how we are often torn between the thrill of the unknown and the instinct to protect ourselves from harm, encapsulating a profound ambiguity in our existence.