Is Social Media Screwing Over Explorers?

[Bronco]

I believe this article contains a few hints as to the slowing of TR posting on CC.com. Much easier for savy folks to post on their own websites and paste a link on some of the climbing related boards. Too bad about the "old school" guys like McLean getting cut from sponsorships but understandable in today's advertising arena.

 

http://www.outsideonline.com/2070866/social-media-screwing-over-explorers-iceland-coldest-crossing

[ivan]

the internuts are the 3rd pole

[matt_warfield]

while debbie does dallas, snapchat does everest. saw that film, kind of a blast but I agree makes old school reporting kind of.....old school.

[Rad]

Good piece.

 

Climbers have been begging for sponsors for their adventures for 150 years. Social media is just the newest part of the marketing machine. There is nothing new or bad about this dynamic. Some people go out and climb/adventure without seeking attention. Some seek attention for various reasons. Neither is more or less worthy. They're just different.

 

IMHO we should encourage those who seek adventure and are willing to fail. Adventure, in my book at least, by definition involves uncertainty. If the outcome were a foregone conclusion it wouldn't be adventure any more. If you don't like the media around these things don't click on it.

[olyclimber]

I wish I was going to be around to see people really exploring space, but I suppose it is going to be long and boring trips unless they develop faster travel.

 

 

[video:youtube]S6R3MiAv9ac

[G-spotter]

The only "explorers" nowadays are robots on other planets. Everything else is in the first trans one-legged midget on Everest category

[JasonG]

Don't forget under the sea! A lot to discover and map down there.

 

Well, maybe not. I suppose the Navy already has a good idea, but they aren't going to share what they know.

[ivan]

plenty of exploration still going on in the vital art of how to be a raging asshole

[JasonG]

They'll have that fully explored by the end of the week in Cleveland, don't worry.

[olyclimber]

does navel gazing count as exploring?

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Or is it really just screwing over the community in favor of the individual? Kind of like going to cc.com (or any other site) to see "what" has been climbed lately is different than going to Facebook or whatever blog to see what "so and so" has climbed lately. Pretty different things.

 

A deep water solo glamping trip makes for pretty photos but doesn't inspire me the same way a hardcore solo FA in Baffin might, even if the pics aren't quite pro. It's a loss.

 

Now go smash computers and burn the microchip factories down so we can get on with being old curmudgeons by a smoky campfire.

[olyclimber]

blogs = personal platforms (look at me!)

 

facebook = your own echo chamber of friends (other than the groups there I guess, but only people who have signed up for FB and joined that group)

 

cc.com (and others) = actual communities that include people you don't know

 

i think people do blogs because they want to total control over their shiz. that is understandable, especially in cases like Steph Abegg who puts tons of work into what she does.

 

however, if you want to interact (and meet new people) nothing beats a community website full of people with similar interests who you may not have actually met. or a site full of trolls and curmudgeons.

[G-spotter]

 

i think people do blogs because they want to total control over their shiz. the revenue from the ad clicks

 

Fixed it for u

[olyclimber]

yeah....all that revenue from your climbing blog! obviously you don't have one, or you'd be retired by now.