It may be true that it wasn't a problem for the man, but his family might've found some comfort in knowing an attempt was made or that someone was with him. They'll be living with that for the rest of their lives.
i suppose i have a few points
1. it takes a different type of mentality to do this climb
2. i am sure it is incredibly tough on body and mind and spirit
3. the dying man is felt by all as personal, a kinda 'what if that was me..'. i suspect climbers dont think this way or they feel they cant afford to think that way
this however doesnt justify their actions. climber or no, you are part of the human race.
i would be far more likely to buy his book, IF he realised, this was a chance to save someone, even the remotest of possibilities of saving this man meant not reaching the summit. that to me would be a triumph of the human spirit over ego, the mountain, finance, even your own life. there are so many books on everest and to be honest, the few i have read are all the same in one way or another. he had a chance here to feel compassion. you may say, campassion doesnt exist in moutain climbing, well i reply to you...change that. he had a chance to help another person, to resolve, that this man would not die alone. he had a chance to make his passing easier, he baulked at that chance, for personal ambition, for personal triumph. he will face this choice at his own end, whether it happens on a mountain or in his bed...he had a chance to save a life and he chose to forego it to reach a mountain top and satisfy his own lust....how sad, how desperately desperately sad. and at some stage in his life he will regret this decision as the worst mistake of his life. also, the concept, i conquered everest with no legs, is it really such a triumph when 40 people were before you that same DAY versus this mans peace or perhaps, just perhaps, he survives?
he feels like he conquered everest, he can use this as discussion over dinner, using his no legs and fingers as some proud warwound...the question i would ask to every person who meets him..is this the man you would want to support you in any situation? deep down there is something repugnant about a man who feels he has done his duty..by delivering an o2 bottle to a dying man...and then continuing on his way up a mountain. as for the other 40, i would like them named also. at least he admitted this, what about the other teams who ascended and who just stepped over him. what about the dying mans own 'team'.
all types of reasoning have been given, he was unconcious, we dont have the equipment, we would die ourselves. speaking as an everyday person, not a climber, i would reply..in every situation, people can find excuses for not helping, but they are that, just excuses. the image that jumped into my mind when reading this was the 2 marines in falluja who had been killed on a road during the assault. the image of another marine trying, under gunfire, to pull his fellow marine, off the road, and getting hit himself in the process, and the story of one of the most amazing individuals that shows the power of people over situations and this is the story of sgtmaj Kasal.
read about it here:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2006/02/promoted_recomm.html
now compare and contrast the 2 situations and ask yourself this...who would you want beside you when you are in trouble?
is there truly any difference, personally i dont think so...situations are different, but the necessary responses should have been the same....
anyway, thats just my tuppence worth...