
Alex Honnold's next summit: the rest of his life - CrocodileStreet
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/27494779/free-solo-climber-alex-honnold-next-summit-rest-life-body-issue-2019
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cletus
I can't remember how or exactly when I came across Alex but it was several
years ago. On the one hand I find parts of him highly relatable (eg "learning
his lines" and his aversion to asking others to climb with him) and others not
(eg I have zero inclination to climb anything).

I certainly respect how much work and preparation he puts into his climbs.

The question is: how is he different to the Everest glory hounds that I
personally find objectionable? These are the people who basically pay $50k to
"climb" Everest and largely get carried by the sherpas. Ask an experienced
tour operator and, weather depending, they'll tell you they can probably get
anyone to the top.

There are some key differences:

1\. I honestly think the Everest glory hounds aren't doing it for the
experience, for the most part. They're doing it for the bragging rights. It's
the next level of Instagram flexing. Like it's the same people who go to
Greece and the only thing they do is get a selfie at sunset in Santorini
before moving on to the next Instagram stop.

2\. Alex is actually doing things that have never been done before and some
thought impossible.

You may view what Alex does as unsafe (I mean, I'd never do it) but it really
is his life. Where my attitude turns is when someone has children. You see
these stories all the time of [amateur climber] pursues life long dream of
summitting Everest and dies leaving [wife and 3 small children].

The defenders will say that person is following their dreams and teaching
their kids to do the same. Me? It's purely self-indulgent rationalization. If
you're a parent, your kids need you more than you need to be the 6000th person
to summit Everest.

Alex has a partner. She can make her own choices though. But your kids? They
don't get a choice.

~~~
joelbluminator
He's different than them in that he's the best in the world in what he does,
and also he doesn't put anyone else in danger (Everest climbers put the
Sherpas who work for them in danger. They also provide them a great living).
But in essence both Honnold and said climbers are just living their dreams;
for some it's climbing El Capitan solo and for others it's climbing Everest
with 20 Sherpas that help you get there. They're all looking for fame from
others, Honnold doesn't shy away from media to say the least. I don't think
it's all that different to be honest. Honnold isn't helping to make the world
a better place by climbing rocks, I see no reason to treat him as a saint (nor
as a villain) based on his sports activities.

~~~
Fezzik
He is using his platform and wealth, that he has from climbing rocks, to
better the world though: [https://www.snewsnet.com/people/alex-honnold-on-
public-lands...](https://www.snewsnet.com/people/alex-honnold-on-public-lands-
advocacy). I can’t really think of a better example of a contemporary person
who has lived simply, achieved success at a very young age, and immediately
jumped in to an advocacy role.

And I think his media presence is drastically different from Everest peak
baggers: the media comes to Alex because he is a 1 in 7 billion human being,
he does not approach the media in an attempt to brag about an accomplishment.
Can you point to anything that indicates he does what he does for “fame from
other”? In the dozens of hours of interviews I have watched he never once
presents himself this way...

~~~
joelbluminator
Well his making movies about his climbs, so obviously fame is one of his
motivations. The fact that he uses his money for a better world is very good
but I'm sure many everest climbers are also doctors, philanthropists etc.

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thrav
Anytime I discussed Free Solo with anyone, including my wife, my feelings
about Alex couldn’t have been more opposite from theirs.

His bit about empathy and the fact that he’s, “just learning [his] lines” is
probably relatable to many here.

His comments about deciding to solo mostly because he wasn’t comfortable
asking anyone to climb with him, and didn’t want anyone to see him do
something stupid, while ranking in the top 2% on the Mensa test.

I came away sympathetic — recognizing a kindred spirit who’s capable of a lot,
but had a hard time fitting in with the world, while everyone else just saw a
very impressive asshole.

Great article that builds on all of the personal dynamics present in the film.

~~~
navigatesol
> _I came away sympathetic — recognizing a kindred spirit who’s capable of a
> lot, but had a hard time fitting in with the world_

If there's one thing I've learned about HackerNews, it's that everyone here is
an exceptional but misunderstood genius.

> _while everyone else just saw a very impressive asshole._

I don't know a single person who came away from this film with the impression
that Alex Honnold is an asshole. Seems like an odd take, but nothing in
today's world surprises me.

~~~
reascenda
I thought he was an asshole. Quite apart from how he came across in the film
exposing yourself to utterly needless danger is a very bad way to treat people
who love you.

~~~
snarf21
I get that perspective. Let me ask this: Do you feel the same way about the
people in your life who smoke? or eat fast food? or don't exercise daily? or
text while driving? I know you can say those are an accumulation of small
dangers but it isn't like Honnold never climbed once and decided to free solo
the hardest cliff in the world. Do you feel the same about race car drivers?
NFL players? We all have our identity and a lot of time it is associated with
the things we are good with.

~~~
whatshisface
I think there are plenty of people who are trying to get their loved ones to
quit smoking.

~~~
balfirevic
But do they think of them as _assholes_ because they are smoking? Or eating
unhealthy food?

~~~
whatshisface
If you eat so badly that you die at 40, then yes that's just as bad as
slipping off a rock. Look at it this way, let's say a guy gets married and
then starts eating so many big macs every day that he's headed to the grave in
a few years. My guess would be that his wife would hate him for that _even
more_ than if he was a solo climber.

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balfirevic
It's interesting to see some negative reactions to what Alex did. His actions
bring to forefront a belief which doesn't seem to sit well with many: his life
is his own.

And our lives really are, ultimately, our own. Well, at least until we bring
kids into the world. We can certainly choose to give up part of this autonomy,
but we shouldn't demand it from anyone else.

~~~
gameswithgo
I've been fascinated for a long time by how people get _angry_ at others for
taking risks. Ride my mountain bike slowly on a side walk without a helmet? It
invokes ANGER in others. Why? Is it an evolutionary trait built into pack
animals perhaps? That would make sense. But still, leave me alone! =)

Also, yes internet I understand that falling from a mountain bike at a slow
speed can impact your head just as hard as falling from a high speed, that
isn't the point, or even _entirely_ true.

~~~
aikinai
Because in the real world the consequences of your actions aren’t confined to
yourself.

Reckless behavior increases the impact on anyone involved in an accident with
you, mentally impacts anyone that might see your brains splatter, increases
insurance premiums, uses hospital resources, etc.

~~~
gameswithgo
None of that is what actually causes people to be angry. Eating junk food,
drinking a beer, driving a sports car, doesn't evoke the same emotional
reaction in people, which has the same sorts of consequences if you did some
sort of long term impact analysis, which normal people don't do on the spot.

As well, insurance and hospital costs are likely reduced since I'm more often
just dead rather than maimed. Plus I'll have less diabetes and heart disease
since I'm not sitting inside watching CNN and Fox news all day getting fat and
being "safe"

~~~
everdev
A few ideas on why people get angry:

1\. Public health campaigns - They don't get outraged by junk food, sports
cars, etc. because there isn't advertising telling them it's unequivocally
bad. Government will tell you that not wearing a helmet, smoking a cigarette,
etc. is universally bad so it's easier for people to see someone "doing a bad
thing". People get angry when other people "break the rules".

2\. They know someone who was affected. I'm guessing if your cousin got hurt
because they weren't wearing a helmet, you might carry some emotions that
could be released when you see someone else taking the same risk.

3\. Human nature. Back in tribes, if our Uncle was trying to scale giant cliff
faces for fun, we'd be at greater risk of less food / losing a war if the
tribe let him risk his life for little to no tribal gain. Especially if the
young kids thought it was cool and wanted to try it too. People are
persuadable and can be influenced. It's not unreasonable to think that
glorifying death defying sports or financially rewarding them will result in
more people risking their lives.

4\. Bullying. If you see someone doing something different or not fitting in,
some humans feel compelled to yell at that person to increase conformity and
cohesion.

5\. Low self confidence. They might be highly critical of themselves and see
an opportunity to criticize others.

For me, #3 is the most common answer. People in strong, healthy communities
feel safer so they probably don't want what they consider a "risky" behavior
to spread.

~~~
OutBriefCandle
I had a negative reaction to his free solo, but I wouldn't say I'm angry about
it. I agree with the idea that he is his own person and can ultimately make
his own decisions, but there are a couple things that bother me about the free
solo that aren't covered here. While Alex may not have been known by the
general public before this event he was pretty well known in the climbing
community, and is obviously still well known. Therefore he wields an influence
over others and particularly kids. Kids do stupid and risky things, because
their brains aren't developed enough to judge the consequences of their
actions. They want to emulate the pros, which in this case, climbing unroped,
could be deadly. Another thing that bothers me about it is the sort of stigma
it puts on the sport. Now, free soloing like what Alex did is what a lot of
people think climbing is. I've been climbing for the past 12 years, 10 of
those outside and on a good day it's nearly a spiritual experience. I love
this sport and I find it incredibly rewarding. It is a dangerous sport, but
there is a lot you can do to mitigate those dangers. I think when a lot people
see the spectacle of 'free solo' they are awed by it, but may also think "I
could never do something like that" and so never try to climb. This is why I
think I have a negative reaction to the film.

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klhugo
As a (very) amateur climber myself, I admire Alex. But the litle I know about
psychiatric illness, I could clearly see that Alex is in depression - and that
is, IMHO, one of the strongest motivations of him to free solo. In other
words, soloing makes him forget the real pain. In case it goes sideways, he
just does not care much.

~~~
pen2l
> In case it goes sideways, he just does not care much.

I don't think it's that. In some video online it covers Alex getting a brain
scan, to determine if the part responsible for fear is maybe broken. It turned
out that it wasn't, it was just that Alex was such an experienced climber that
he knows with full confidence what he has to do and what his limitations are.
Him failing doesn't really factor in the calculus of his mind as a
possibility.

~~~
bart_spoon
The brain scan is from the documentary, which if I remember correctly _did_
result in the conclusion that his brain does not function like a normal
human's in the context of fear.

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thomasmarriott
Great book:

"No More Worlds to Conquer: Sixteen People Who Defined Their Time – And What
They Did Next"

by Chris Wright

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alhirzel
Software development can also be very inward-facing (though perhaps it should
not be if a company is to succeed). I wonder what is in common between Alex
and the 10xer.

