A thread like this deserves the Teddy Roosevelt quote:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”
By the way I feel the same about people who drive fast cars in circles -it is pointless.
Millions of people do take a risk driving to work every day,and they take that risk to provide a living for their family.Nor is the odds of death 1 in 20 for each trip.
Now if he had expended great effort fighting some injustice,then I would count him some kind of hero.
But people who die of some highly dangerous sport don't get my sympathy.
It was an ego trip ,and maybe he was an adrenaline junkie.
Oh yeah,I don't worship at the altar of Teddy Roosevelt.TR raised a private regiment to join an unjust war against Spain ,greatly expanded federal power over land,and then formed a third party out of egotism when his party rejected his bid for another term.Of course he did have the courage to go on safari and kill off the rarest Afican beasts while calling it conservation and sporting. Bah!Rich egotists may do as they please but that doesn't mean the world is bound to applaud.
Hmm. When it comes to things like this, there are two types of people in the world. Those that have to conquer something because it is there, and those that are content to live a more quiet life.
This man very likely wanted to climb Everest because it is HARD. There is satisfaction in accomplishing something hard and that few have done or can do. Those people that are content to live a quiet life do not understand this.
Hoosier, as you said, you don’t understand the Indy 500—but people want to win the Indy 500 because it is hard, and accomplishing it is a great feat. These people, whether they are AJ Foyt or this fellow (but they are all high achievers), are driven to greatness. That’s how they are.
He wanted to climb Everest because it is there. Word.