shaoleung Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 Why is it that so many 5.11-and-up trad climbers are megalomaniacal douche bags? I mean, the shirtless stretching at the trail head isn't a big deal, but can you at least acknowledge the presence of other inferior climbers? Quote
rob Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 It's not just climbers. In every sport I've ever been in, once you get beyond a certain level of proficiency the douchebag ratio rally cranks up. I even notice this in the computer science world -- I think a lot of people are just poor winners. Quote
shaoleung Posted June 12, 2012 Author Posted June 12, 2012 I think a lot of people are just poor winners. Â I wouldn't call it a win on their part. You never know who's got a secret stash of beer in the river. Quote
Tyson.g Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 Sorry if I offended you Shao. I will try and reign in my shirtless stretching, although you really like it, c'mon you know you do. As for the other stuff, I didn't even see you. So to not acknowledge you was not a direct dis. Â Quote
Jim Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 I'm just curious. If you can lead 11c do you automatically lose all body hair or do they shave for wind resistance issues? Quote
bstach Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 It also happens on CC.com with avatars with the top post counts Quote
Tyson.g Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 I'm just curious. If you can lead 11c do you automatically lose all body hair or do they shave for wind resistance issues? Â Yes. Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 It also happens on CC.com with avatars with the top post counts  For Canadians it only takes about a thousand posts to reach the douchebaggery index of the highest post count holders. Quote
AlpineK Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 It also happens on CC.com with avatars with the top post counts  For Canadians it only takes about a thousand posts to reach the douchebaggery index of the highest post count holders.  One of the down sides of converting to the metric system Quote
G-spotter Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 I almost get the sense you guys are trying to insult me. Â Quote
shaoleung Posted June 12, 2012 Author Posted June 12, 2012 0 blissfully ignorant 25 curious 50 stop while you can 100 need another post 200 this is my last post 700 douche 1200 veteran douche 1600 douche-Bah 5000 anal sprayer 10000 gaping mouthed anal douche spray master  Quote
skykilo Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 (edited) This is far from my impressions or experiences. And I been climbing lots of 11(+) trying to push into 12- but if anything I'd like to think I'm less of a douchebag now than when I wasn't really climbing 5.11. Â -skykilo, VD (veteran douche) Edited June 12, 2012 by skykilo Quote
Tyson.g Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 .....edited for the protection of the innocent.......... And so my friends don't kick my ass.......... Quote
ivan Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 by extension, shouldn't that mean though that 5.2 climbers would be the chillest bitches ever? yet that seems pencil-fucked, leading inevitably as it does to the mounties? Quote
E-rock Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 Man those guys are nothing compared to the V8+ boulder man-children you run into below the cliffs. Quote
mattp Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 I've known plenty of 5.9 climbers who were, in my opinion, douche bags. I've known some who were 5.11 trad climbers who were as well. Some people who think they are bad-ass act like idiots, for sure. But so do some who plan never to be bad-ass end up acting like idiots as well. Â On average, I think the label "douche bag" (as I perceive it) probably applies more consistently to those who stick with the sport for a short period of time than it does to those who do well at it. The douche bags tend to burn out, though not all perhaps. Â To me, the term includes some measure of grandiosity and a significant measure of ineptitude or at least inability to talk about the activity in a way that celebrates the activity itself if not an inability to actually perform. Â What is your definition of a "douche bag" as referenced here? Quote
shaoleung Posted June 13, 2012 Author Posted June 13, 2012 What is your definition of a "douche bag" as referenced here? - a step or two below asshole was what I was thinking. Not active pursuit of being as asshole, but passively so. Â Well see... now I was being a douche bag and expecting a bunch of senseless CC spray on this one... but here I find myself challenged to really think about this one. Tyson's unedited comments on douchefulness and insecurity struck a cord. It is probably my own insecurities rather than some sort of correlation between 5.11 and douche. Quote
JayB Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 In my experience the really accomplished folks fall tend to fall into two camps. The people who have excelled because they are so passionate about the activity itself, and those who are motivated primarily out of a desire for recognition and praise from others. There's not necessarily a clean line between the two, and the same person can transition from one to the other over time - but it's easy to tell the difference. Quote
denalidave Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 In my experience the really accomplished folks fall tend to fall into two camps. The people who have excelled because they are so passionate about the activity itself, and those who are motivated primarily out of a desire for recognition and praise from others. There's not necessarily a clean line between the two, and the same person can transition from one to the other over time - but it's easy to tell the difference. Sounds about right... Quote
denalidave Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 I almost get the sense you guys are trying to insult me. Wow, me too. I felt really bad, like I just ran over a kitty, or so much worse, maybe even a puppy. That sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that I had when I knew I was in trouble as a kid. Probably the same feeling that triggered my insecure need for attention. Which also seems to be the same accelerate to drive me to climb harder and not only look down on lesser climbers, but completely disregard them in my selfish pursuit of higher glory. Â This totally reminds me of the time I made that really bad joke in front of a lot of uber "uncool" old folks at the nursing home. I just kinda shrunk in my chair like Fred Flintstone shrinking in that one episode where it goes "ere, ere, ere (pronounced ear'n) every time he shrinks/gets smaller in his chair... Â I fully thought this thread was all about ME and I should make a formal apology. Right up to the point when I realized it was someone climbing 5.11. Sheesh, if I saw a 5.11 climber, I'd bow down, scrub her chalk bag, and hope she throws me the sweaty warm-up hoody. Â Â Quote
denalidave Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 I've known plenty of 5.9 climbers who were, in my opinion, douche bags. I've known some who were 5.11 trad climbers who were as well. Some people who think they are bad-ass act like idiots, for sure. But so do some who plan never to be bad-ass end up acting like idiots as well. On average, I think the label "douche bag" (as I perceive it) probably applies more consistently to those who stick with the sport for a short period of time than it does to those who do well at it. The douche bags tend to burn out, though not all perhaps.  To me, the term includes some measure of grandiosity and a significant measure of ineptitude or at least inability to talk about the activity in a way that celebrates the activity itself if not an inability to actually perform.  What is your definition of a "douche bag" as referenced here? Douchebags are like routes, they come in all shapes, sizes, textures & conjectures ... And yes, it certainly does take one to know one. Quote
Crux Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 When climbing, avoid climbers; they're douche bags! Â Â Quote
denalidave Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 When climbing, avoid climbers; they're douche bags! Quote
glassgowkiss Posted June 13, 2012 Posted June 13, 2012 Why is it that so many 5.11-and-up trad climbers are megalomaniacal douche bags? I mean, the shirtless stretching at the trail head isn't a big deal, but can you at least acknowledge the presence of other inferior climbers? well, if you trained a bit, instead crying on the bb about your weak pansy ass bitch arms, you could join the ranks. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.