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Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

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Re: Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

#4
Anytime I discussed Free Solo with anyone, including my wife, my feelings about Alex couldn’t have been more opposite from theirs.

His bit about empathy and the fact that he’s, “just learning [his] lines” is probably relatable to many here.

His comments about deciding to solo mostly because he wasn’t comfortable asking anyone to climb with him, and didn’t want anyone to see him do something stupid, while ranking in the top 2% on the Mensa test.

I came away sympathetic — recognizing a kindred spirit who’s capable of a lot, but had a hard time fitting in with the world, while everyone else just saw a very impressive asshole.

Great article that builds on all of the personal dynamics present in the film.

Re: Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

#5
post #4

Anytime I discussed Free Solo with anyone, including my wife, my feelings about Alex couldn’t have been more opposite from theirs. His bit about empathy and the fact that he’s, “just learning [his] lines” is probably relatable to many here. His comments about deciding to solo mostly because he wasn’t comfortable asking anyone to climb with him, and didn’t want anyone to see him do something stupid, while ranking in t…

When I watched the movie with my girlfriend I thought that he was refreshingly honest with his feelings. My girlfriend on the other hand thought that he was just a selfish prick. Pretty interesting.

Re: Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

#6
As a (very) amateur climber myself, I admire Alex. But the litle I know about psychiatric illness, I could clearly see that Alex is in depression - and that is, IMHO, one of the strongest motivations of him to free solo. In other words, soloing makes him forget the real pain. In case it goes sideways, he just does not care much.

Re: Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

#7
post #4

Anytime I discussed Free Solo with anyone, including my wife, my feelings about Alex couldn’t have been more opposite from theirs. His bit about empathy and the fact that he’s, “just learning [his] lines” is probably relatable to many here. His comments about deciding to solo mostly because he wasn’t comfortable asking anyone to climb with him, and didn’t want anyone to see him do something stupid, while ranking in t…

When I watched the movie with my girlfriend I thought that he was refreshingly honest with his feelings. My girlfriend on the other hand thought that he was just a selfish prick. Pretty interesting.

Was it a thought along the lines of him being selfish because his death (at any time) could leave his family without him?

Re: Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

#9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I watched the movie with my girlfriend I thought that he was refreshingly honest with his feelings. My girlfriend on the other hand thought that he was just a selfish prick. Pretty interesting.

Was it a thought along the lines of him being selfish because his death (at any time) could leave his family without him?

I am not sure. I think it was more about him not expressing himself in the normally accepted ways. Which is something I can relate to.

Re: Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life

#10
post #6

As a (very) amateur climber myself, I admire Alex. But the litle I know about psychiatric illness, I could clearly see that Alex is in depression - and that is, IMHO, one of the strongest motivations of him to free solo. In other words, soloing makes him forget the real pain. In case it goes sideways, he just does not care much.

> In case it goes sideways, he just does not care much.

I don't think it's that. In some video online it covers Alex getting a brain scan, to determine if the part responsible for fear is maybe broken. It turned out that it wasn't, it was just that Alex was such an experienced climber that he knows with full confidence what he has to do and what his limitations are. Him failing doesn't really factor in the calculus of his mind as a possibility.

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