It's hard to take people seriously who say you're totally irresponsible if you go out and climb mountains when you have kids, because they clearly don't understand the circumstances. You can't impose your own acceptance of risk on other people - that's not fair.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of understanding personal choices and the unique circumstances that come with them, especially regarding risk and responsibility.
Jimmy Chin articulates the challenge of being judged by others for personal choices related to risk-taking, such as climbing mountains while having children. He suggests that people often fail to recognize the individual circumstances and the complexities of balancing responsibilities with passions, highlighting that one should not impose their own views on risk and responsibility onto others without understanding their situation.
In practice
During a parenting seminar about balancing hobbies and family life.
On climbs, there is a general way we manage fear. We look at things objectively, separating out perceived risk from real risk. You can really bring down the level of fear by knowing the real risks and setting aside the others. You also know that panicking just makes things worse.
You learn over years of expeditions that having faith, and putting one foot in front of the other, you do end up pulling off climbs that seem completely impossible. There's a certain beauty to that. It has an allure.
You do wonder - when you are at 28,000 feet, the height that aeroplanes cruise at, when you are struggling to draw breath and every limb aches - why do I do this?
The two great risks are risking too much but also risking too little. That's for each person to decide. For me, not risking anything is worse than death. By far.
Becoming a parent has changed the risk calculus for me. But it might be age, too, and seeing a lot of friends die in the mountains. Will I take the same risks I took in my 20s? Probably not, but I will always push myself in the mountains.
The mainstream audience has a certain picture of what climbing is all about: man conquering mountain. But you can't conquer a mountain, though it may conquer you.
We may forget, or be unaware of, how prevalent it is to be sexually traumatized by events that are generally not thought of as traumatizing.
The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not to frighten them, but to challenge them.
As long as Ireland is unfree the only honourable attitude for Irish men, women to have is an attitude of rebellion.
I don't fight fascists because I'll win. I fight fascists because they are fascists.
I used to be told if I talked about my sexuality in any way that we wouldn't have a tennis tour.
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.
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