mike1 Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) “Great credit accrues to the one who bests another; little is given to the man who recognises [sic] in his comrade on the rope a part of himself, who for long hours of extreme peril faces no opponent to be shot or struck down, but whose battle is solely against his own weakness and insufficiency. Is the man who, at moments when his own life is in the balance, has not only to safeguard it but, at the same time, his friend’s - even to the extent of mutual self sacrifice - to receive less recognition than a boxer in a ring, simply because the nature of what he is doing is not properly understood? In his book about Dachstein, Kurt Maix writes: “Climbing is the most royal irrationality out of which Man, in his creative imagination, has been able to fashion the highest personal values.” Those personal values which we gain from our approach to the mountains, are great enough to enrich our life. Is not the very irrationality of its very lack of purpose the deepest argument for climbing?” Heinrich Harrer, The White Spider “I don’t have any explanation for it. I’m interested in doing it... maybe some kind of innate obsession that I can’t explain. Maybe a little of the risk involved and that we’re looking for a little more excitement than participating in a team sport.” Fred Beckey, North Cascades: People, Places and Stories, KCTS9 The recent house bill drama seems to put us on the defensive. I don’t know about you all, but I suddenly am asked more now, why I do it. I don’t know if I’ll ever answer it to anyone’s satisfaction, including my own, but I thought I’d give it a try. It’s an escape from one world to another. The more complex our world becomes, the more I want to escape to the mountains. Climbing forces me into a zone where all I am thinking about are my movements, safety systems, navigation, weather, terrain, communication, self rescue... whichever subject is pertinent at a particular moment in time. All thoughts of the civilized world are gone and I am forced to pay attention to the natural world around me, completely. But that’s not why I climb. I first wanted to climb because I wanted to be able to say out loud, I climbed that! It was an ego builder for sure. Now I still like to say that, but I am happiest to say it quietly to myself. I am a self-proclaimed introvert and I honestly don’t care to tell others of my climbing experiences or much else for that matter. Even typing this is a bit over the line for me. Like Fred eludes to, I could probably be considered OCD. For instance, I know I can’t get into golfing because I would have to go all the way with it in order to enjoy it. Fortunately, I recognize this and have successfully stuck with climbing as my obsession. I am adventurous by nature. I’ve worked outside most of my life and feel most comfortable outdoors. I also have a strong love of geology. I think all of these quirks just feed the fire for me. I have to see these incredible mountains and know what makes them so incredible. I guess I climb because I feel like I have to experience the mountain environment first hand... I think.......... crap, I don’t know! Why do you do it? P.S. If you know of other climbers (famous or not) attempting an answer, please quote them. Edited January 31, 2010 by mike1 Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 b/c there's far fewer assholes at the top of mountains than at the base of them? Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 to be prepared for the coming zombie apocalypse? Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 b/c the screaming barfies make my junk feel sick Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 b/c what else am i going to do w/ all this nitro?!? Quote
G-spotter Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 the human body is as evolved to climb as it is to run. nobody ever asks "why run" do they? Quote
ZimZam Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 b/c there's far fewer assholes at the top of mountains than at the base of them? Quote
Doug Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 cause it seemed like a good idea at the time. Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 nobody ever asks "why run" do they? probably b/c everybody assumes its b/c of white people Quote
mike1 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Posted January 31, 2010 all very well thought out responses. Responses I could tell me ma (thx Ivan). But I admit... I was hoping for a little more depth - maybe some philosophy. Maybe after a hit of nitro. Quote
summitchaserCJB Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 "nobody ever asks "why run" do they?" You've never done a marathon then. Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 all very well thought out responses. Responses I could tell me ma (thx Ivan). But I admit... I was hoping for a little more depth - maybe some philosophy. Maybe after a hit of nitro. there's plenty of depth there hombre - the answers are absurd b/c the activity is absurd b/c life-as-a-meat-puppet is absurd if you're looking for a more deeply meaningful hobby consider macrame at any rate, the interwubs are the enemy of philosphy - here the golden rule is keep it under 100 characters or stfu! Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 "nobody ever asks "why run" do they?" You've never done a marathon then. pink floyd already fielded that one: If you're taking your girlfriend Out tonight You'd better park the car Well out of sight. Cause if they catch you in the back seat Trying to pick her locks, They're gonna send you back to mother In a cardboard box. You better run. Quote
G-spotter Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 i ran a half bitd and nobody ever asked me why actually nobody ever asks me why i climb either they can probably tell i'm a retard just by looking so they don't need to ask Quote
mike1 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Posted January 31, 2010 there's plenty of depth there hombre - the answers are absurd b/c the activity is absurd b/c life-as-a-meat-puppet is absurd if you're looking for a more deeply meaningful hobby consider macrame at any rate, the interwubs are the enemy of philosphy - here the golden rule is keep it under 100 characters or stfu! Yeah, well that's just, like your opinion man... oh, and gesundheit! Quote
Dan_Miller Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 A trained philosopher here. It's a practical question, or more properly a psychological one, not truly philosophical; in that it's not an analysis of concepts. If you're looking for some sort of quasi-psychological reason read Albert Camus masters thesis, The Myth of Sisyphus. Asking 'Why climb,' when one didn't lost anything up there and must at some point descend is by no means easily answerable in a manner that all might agree upon. If someone asks me that question (and I've been at it a long time) I usually respond only, because I like to do so and it is fun. Next question please. Quote
TrailRunFreak Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 Everyone askes me why I run. (I run marathons) and I still dont have an answer. Why must we have an answer for all that we do and enjoy? Why do I climb? Cuz I want to and I can. Why do I run? Cuz I want to and I can. Quote
ivan Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 Everyone askes me why I run. (I run marathons) and I still dont have an answer. Why must we have an answer for all that we do and enjoy? Why do I climb? Cuz I want to and I can. Why do I run? Cuz I want to and I can. shall we anticipate your answer to "why do you wear a 2 piece to the top of a mtn?" Quote
Bug Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 Everyone askes me why I run. (I run marathons) and I still dont have an answer. Why must we have an answer for all that we do and enjoy? Why do I climb? Cuz I want to and I can. Why do I run? Cuz I want to and I can. What I really want to know is why you wear a pink bikini? Quote
Bug Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 b/c i can't fornicate ALL of the time? I tried to hook up with women who would climb and fornicate. It never worked out. It inhibited climbing too much. Quote
mountainsloth Posted January 31, 2010 Posted January 31, 2010 1. freedom 2. escape 3. personal challenge 4. a life focus other than my job 5. the carrot at the end of the stick 6. building closer and stronger bonds with friends 7. experiencing the power of nature that today is so easy to numb yourself from 8. nature is a beautiful thing, and so is climbing. Quote
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