The Purpose of My Fear

Free solo climbing, also known as free soloing, is a form of free climbing and solo climbing where the climber (or free soloist) performs alone and without using any ropes, harnesses or other protective equipment, relying entirely on his or her ability instead. Unlike in bouldering, free soloists typically climb above safe heights, where a fall would always result in serious injury or death. In ordinary free climbing, safety gear is used to protect from falls, although not to assist the ascent.

-- Wikipedia, "Free Solo Climbing"

We learn some basic survival skills as we grow up, usually through conscientious parents who have learned valuable lessons, ofttimes through painful trial and error, and wish to save us from undergoing the same agony of defeat.  As with most animals, we are also taught these skills to ensure the survival of our species and, in particular, our own bloodline.  To this end we, as intelligent beings, have enacted laws and regulations requiring warning signs, safety gear, buddy systems, and the like; intelligent things which will keep us from harm.  Being stupid is simply a way for the weak minded to become easy prey at the bottom level of the food chain, or raw meat smeared on the lonely highway of oops.

Back in the day, well, back in my day, good parenting would have also taught a child something my elders referred to as "good common sense." We were usually taught this along with respect for authority figures, like the police.  You know, like when a policeman tells you to put your hands up, kiss the ground, or stand on one foot and bark like a dog, you do it... and then you go get a lawyer and sue him.  Nowadays, you're also hoping that everyone was filming for YouTube.  You can't have your day in court if you're too stupid to do what you're told and survive the encounter, and if you're that stupid, you probably deserved whatever happened to you, anyway.  This kind of good sense isn't that common anymore and, even if you can find it, it certainly isn't as good as it used to be.

Worse than a lack of good common sense would be the occasional aberration, the person who purposely deviates from what many consider a normal, acceptable, course of life - the innate genetic predilection toward survival.  This subculture of humanity get their thrills from cheating death; the more difficult and dangerous the task, the deeper the thrill; survival would seem to be a rung or so down on their priority list to that of death defying acts, thrilling feats, and exhilarating flights of derring-do.  Now, let's be clear, this has nothing to do with an occupation.  I'm talking about thrill seekers who risk their lives because they can, not because they're being paid to or because they feel any moral or ethical obligation to risk their life to save that of another.  I'm talking about the gamblers who get off on rolling the weighted dice in the crap game of life.  One thing you learn about gambling is the house usually wins, sooner or later, and fate is always there to collect.

Let's take a look at a few of the multitude of daily headlines which keep the great many of us humbled by our own sensible ability to withstand any urge to something just "because it's there": 

Experienced Rock Climber Falls to His Death in Yosemite Free Climb after Proposing to Girlfriend

Free-Solo Climber Falls to Death Near Boulder

Dean Potter, extreme climber, dies in Yosemite base jumping accident

Navy cites equipment malfunction in SEAL skydiver's death

2 die in sky-diving accident near Lodi

Skydiver dies after crashing into housing estate after parachute fails to open

A Free-Diver's Death: Tragic plunge to the limits

Diver dies after losing air supply 150 ft underwater while exploring German U-boat 

Common Fatal Scuba Diving Accidents

19 Important Bungee Jumping Death Statistics 

Add to these examples the usual surfing in shark infested waters, alligator hunting, swimming with piranha or filming Great Whites from a flimsy shark cage.  All of these run a close second to my personal favorite - marriage and relationships.  This doesn't even take into account the odds-breaker events, those things out of our sole control, like being hit by a car, train, meteor, stray bullet, or someone's pissed off spouse (this would be an aimed bullet, and I suppose marriage and relationships need to be repeated here, then, as well).

With so much out there that can kill us without our knowledge, why would anyone knowingly tempt fate and visit grief and heartache upon friends and loved ones?  Well, okay, marriage and relationships has more to do with survival of the species and rockus sex, so we'll give it a "cautionary" pass if one ops to do it just "because it's there."  And, I would think if you make the decision not to screw around with someone else's significant other, then you can actually negate the fear of a homicidal spouse along with all the drama and excitement which usually accompanies that lust dripping little mistake, which just so happens to bring us back on topic - the purpose of fear.

I'm a fan of the old sensible question, "Why would you jump out of a perfectly good aircraft?"  A more important question might be why you would let someone else pack your parachute.

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”

-- Edward Whymper (1840-1911), mountaineer, explorer, survivor

Noted British explorer, Edward Whymper, survived to die at the age of 71.  At the age of 24, however, during his return from ascending the Matterhorn, he watched in horror as a member of the team slipped, dragging four of the seven members off the edge.  Edward and two others anchored themselves, the rope tightened, then snapped, and they watched the unfortunates fall 4,000 feet to the glacier below.  For the rest of his life he carried this memory, this horror, of losing half his team simply to be the first to ascend a mountain.  It was a sobering experience which tempered his lifelong career, of mountaineering and exploration, with good sense. 

When asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, climber George Mallory responded, "Because it's there."  As I've asked during this post, is "because it's there" really enough reason to risk your life and the life of others, in the attempt to bring pain and loss to those we love?  Hell, I'm not even sure it's enough reason to even consider the adventure, much less attempt it.  Perhaps with enough reasonable cause or purpose which demands someone take the risk, with proper outfitting and an "escape" plan for the task and any emergencies which might arise, one might then be able to see some point to it all.  My issue with it, is just doing this adventurous crap for the macho thrill of it, so you can constantly prove, whether you admit it or not, you aren't lacking in some quality or some worth.  I suppose those of us who rise above having to constantly prove ourselves, just don't understand.

What I do understand, more clearly than any other emotion in my life, is my own fear.  Fear gives most of us that moment of pause, that moment to consider the intelligence of our next move, whether the fight is worth it or if we might be better served to flee and survive to fight another day.  Fear has a purpose, and it serves most of us very well.  With all the stupid crap I have done during my misspent youth, it has kept me alive despite my tempting of fate.  Now, I am torn between respect and pity for those who tempt fate, but I seriously lean toward pity.

Mallory tried to explain this drive, this desire to experience and to conquer fear, “How to get the best of it all? One must conquer, achieve, get to the top; one must know the end to be convinced that one can win the end - to know there's no dream that mustn't be dared... Is this the summit, crowning the day? How cool and quiet! We're not exultant; but delighted, joyful; soberly astonished... Have we vanquished an enemy? None but ourselves. Have we gained success? That word means nothing here. Have we won a kingdom? No... and yes. We have achieved an ultimate satisfaction... fulfilled a destiny... To struggle and to understand - never this last without the other; such is the law...”

During the 1924 British Mount Everest expedition, Mallory and his climbing partner, Andrew "Sandy" Irvine, disappeared on the North-East ridge during their attempt to make the first ascent of the world's highest mountain. The pair were last seen when they were about 800 vertical feet (245 m) from the summit.

Mallory's ultimate fate was unknown for 75 years, until his body was discovered on 1 May 1999 by an expedition that had set out to search for the climbers' remains. Whether Mallory and Irvine had reached the summit before they died remains a subject of speculation and continuing research.

-- Wikipedia, "George Mallory"

George Mallory fulfilled his ultimate destiny.  Nice conclusion.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.