I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
1–10 of 48 posts
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#2In case someone wants to watch a video about the same topic, Everest: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bchx0mS7XOY
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#3In case someone wants to watch a video about the same topic, Everest: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bchx0mS7XOY
It was really interesting that there is a HUGE line of people coming up and down the mountain. It's hard to believe that so many people have the resources.
The other thing is the reliance on the Sherpa moving all that stuff up and down the mountain. (Capital S is the people) Being a sherpa is a super hard and dangerous job for some thrill seekers.
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#4In case someone wants to watch a video about the same topic, Everest: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bchx0mS7XOY
It was really interesting that there is a HUGE line of people coming up and down the mountain. It's hard to believe that so many people have the resources. The other thing is the reliance on the Sherpa moving all that stuff up and down the mountain. (Capital S is the people) Being a sherpa is a super hard and dangerous job for some thrill seekers.
The cost is on the order of ~$50,000.
That's not a whim purchase for most people, and probably out of reach of e.g. the lower 50% of US incomes, but for a huge number of people it's an achievable amount if climbing Everest is your lifetime dream.
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#5EDIT: As noted below, I should have read the article first; I made a grand assumption about the article, and had I read it (which I intend to do - but I read enough of it to see what it's really about - and that should be interesting), my questions would have been answered, and this dumb comment of mine wouldn't be here.
My apologies, everyone. I'll do better in the future...
--- Original Comment Below ---
I'm not a mountain climber, so maybe I just don't "get it" - but I can see why someone might want to do this once, or maybe even twice - in a lifetime.
But why 21 times?
What possesses someone to spend those kinds of resources, both monetarily and physically, to do this kind of thing? What are they attempting to prove to themselves?
Furthermore, does this amount of climbing activity on the part of one individual have any bearing on the context of the mountain not being what it used to be?
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#6EDIT: As noted below, I should have read the article first; I made a grand assumption about the article, and had I read it (which I intend to do - but I read enough of it to see what it's really about - and that should be interesting), my questions would have been answered, and this dumb comment of mine wouldn't be here. My apologies, everyone. I'll do better in the future... --- Original Comment Below --- I'm not a…
* Step 1: Read the article
* Step 2: Comment on the article.
You got it backwards.
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#7EDIT: As noted below, I should have read the article first; I made a grand assumption about the article, and had I read it (which I intend to do - but I read enough of it to see what it's really about - and that should be interesting), my questions would have been answered, and this dumb comment of mine wouldn't be here. My apologies, everyone. I'll do better in the future... --- Original Comment Below --- I'm not a…
And many left almost permanent pollution
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#8EDIT: As noted below, I should have read the article first; I made a grand assumption about the article, and had I read it (which I intend to do - but I read enough of it to see what it's really about - and that should be interesting), my questions would have been answered, and this dumb comment of mine wouldn't be here. My apologies, everyone. I'll do better in the future... --- Original Comment Below --- I'm not a…
It's his job.
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#9Then: " is really dangerous. Very few people have done it. It requires a lot of capital, and your health and life may be in danger"
Adventurers, explorers, inventors: "The risk is worth the reward. We must push the boundaries of human reach and understanding further"
Now: " is really dangerous. Very few people have done it. It requires a lot of capital, and your health and life may be in danger. But not because the activity itself is dangerous or novel anymore - that's been solved and perfected decades ago. No, because the only people that still do this activity are doing it for ego not for humanity, are overfunded, but underprepared, and the sheer volume of them doing the activity at the same time creates an environment more dangerous than it naturally needs to be."
Rich conceited assholes: "The risk is worth the reward. I'm going to get to drop in 'You know, this reminds me of the time I climbed Mount Everest' into every soiree, pitch meeting, and networking event I'll be at for the rest of my life."
Re: I’ve Climbed Everest 21 Times. It’s Not the Mountain It Used to Be
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
It was really interesting that there is a HUGE line of people coming up and down the mountain. It's hard to believe that so many people have the resources. The other thing is the reliance on the Sherpa moving all that stuff up and down the mountain. (Capital S is the people) Being a sherpa is a super hard and dangerous job for some thrill seekers.
The cost is on the order of ~$50,000. That's not a whim purchase for most people, and probably out of reach of e.g. the lower 50% of US incomes, but for a huge number of people it's an achievable amount if climbing Everest is your lifetime dream.
This is more like “rich westerners chasing FOMO feels”.
I have a hard time supporting politically that we owe deference to a minority experiencing shallow novelty and calling them life dreams, given the externalized costs foisted on society as a whole.
There are peaks closer and the difference in sensory experience is marginal.
This is just “more money than I can spend so I’ll shovel it a little at everything.” Which is politically indefensible given how society is manipulated to enable it.