Why do we climb Everest despite the dangers involved?
The world is filled with egomaniacs. History's pages are littered with figures endowed with abnormally inflated minds. It did take, for example, a certain personality to have the audacity to explore strange and exotic places centuries ago.…
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26 - alessandro nicolo
Col. Mustard. You're back! It's hard to not take your comments personal. Actually, rereading it reveals its harshness. But hey, as you said, it's the Internet. Get used to it. I have been many things in my life and egotistical is not one of them. This aspect of the threads seems rather trivial to me. It takes away from the overall discussion. I still don' t think you're getting the depper crux of the piece. Blogging on the Internet is not climbing Everest. I have yet to hear of people dying in the Internet while blogging. Plus, if you use blogger, it's free. The arguement you make is not applicable in my opinion. While it is true ego can be man's AH many other things are too. I chose this because it was interesting to read about all these people who were ill-prepared to take on the mountain - out of, well, ego. So I guess our debate comes full circle here. I would invite you to read the threads carefully. Then you'll see more about the piece. It's pointless (and Jake posted a quote from Mallory agreeing in part that it is indeed not useful except for certain things) for some in the sense that they take on a big gig without fully knowing what they are getting into. People like Jake can attest to this I am sure. Again, read the posts. They are filled with superb insights.
27 - Mohjho
Well Alessandro, that you feel that climbing is pointless misses the actual point. I guess you could list a number of things people could do instead of climbing that would make you feel comfortable. In fact, its non of your business.
I prefer distance hiking on the Pacific Crest Trial. Its kind of dangerous, but has its own rewards. I'm sure you could evaluate my psychological shortcoming based on my need to wonder without purpose with a backpack through the high mountain peaks for months at a time, but so what. You gain nothing by trying to put climbers on a couch and evaluate their impact on the mental health of society.
28 - alessandro nicolo
Thanks Mohjho. Well said. The only thing I would add is that in a wider deeper social meaning it is my business and have the right to express it. Again, as I have pointed out in the thread, I should have perhaps made it a clearer point that I question less the capable people such as yourself and more the ones who do it for the wrong reasons.