[Steve_Seattle]

"Chill out guys - climbing mountains is for anyone with courage and a little crazy. Tragic accident."

I was perhaps the one who expressed the most contempt. There are empty calories, and there is empty courage - courage that accomplishes nothing. I used to buy into the macho mountain climbing ethic, but no more. I do not worship egos. If someone dies mountain climbing, too bad, but I have no reason to regard their death as any more important than the death of an average person in a retirement home. Mountain climbers are NOT heroes.

[Finny]

There are empty calories, and there is empty courage - courage that accomplishes nothing. I used to buy into the macho mountain climbing ethic ...

You make a pretty good point, Steve, if it's about courage. I have zero clue as to the real mountain-climbing ethic, but if it's like some other high-risk pursuits whose ethic I do know, it's not about courage, it's about adrenalin. Granted, mountain climbing may be different. But there are a lot of folks just naturally driven to chase adrenalin, do seemingly risky things, fast machines, high seas fishing, motorcycles, super-fast airplanes, surfing, skateboarding, skydiving --

-- I don't think it's about courage. It's about the rush!

[Finny]

I happen to agree in essentials: If someone dies mountain climbing, too bad, but I have no reason to regard their death as any more important than the death of an average person in a retirement home. Mountain climbers are NOT heroes.

To me -- and I may be wrong -- but to me, they're not heroes, they're just adrenalin junkies who went out doing what they loved. It's okay by me! It's between each the climber and his Maker. Whether God frowned on them for squandering their lives or smiled on them for living what He gave them so fully and joyfully, is something I'm not privilege to.

Corny, I know, but at least they went out doing what they loved.

[OldPossum]

I amen your post 26. Climbing dangerous mountains on your own volition is not courage, nothing resembling it.