Rational or Irrational

As far as I am concerned, all these people that climb mountains just for the fun of it are all bloody crazy people, but so long as they do not expect me to go with them OR help pay for their medical bills when their bits and pieces start to drop off, then what they do is their own business.

HOWEVER there has been some debate concerning Mark Ingliss, and his "lack of humanity" or to put it another way "selfishness" in not attempting to save the life of the British idiot he encountered three quarters of the way up Mt Everest.

My comment therefore is not on what he did or did not do, but on selfishness itself.
If Mark Ingliss - a double amputee, had attempted to save this man who was near-dead anyway, it is without question that BOTH of them would have died in the process - a pointless exercise.

Had one of Mark Ingliss's Sherpas attempted to save him, he would have depleted the Inglis party, therefore putting the lives of the entire party at risk, as it is these sherpas that carry all of lifes necessities on these trips, and due to the extremities of the conditions the role of every person in such an expedition is crucial to its success.

NOW, the thing that is most sacred to an individual - man's "thing of highest value" is his life, because without that he has nothing - he's dead!

Upon discovering the (ill equipped, poorly prepared) British climer, Mark Inglis would have had to make a decision.

If I attempt to get this guy back to safety (I will probably have to carry him because he's in such a bad way) I will probably die in the attempt!

WHY is this mans life MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY LIFE?

If I die in the attempt, then he too will surely die because he needs my assistance!
SO, we BOTH die! - What is the point in THAT?

The people that attempt these crazy things are all self-centred individuals, making an informed decision to risk THEIR life in their relentless pursuit of (whatever)

In doing so, these people have CHOSEN to step OUTSIDE the boundaries of humanity, and have agreed to an un-writen pact.

I am of the belief that they know what they are doing, they are WELL AWARE of the risk and dangers of such an expedition, and that when the going gets tough it is every man for himself.


In leaving the British climber to die on Mt Everest, Mark Ingliss made a RATIONAL decision - to pursue his own interests and continue to the top of Everest, because to deny his own self-interest (to die in the attempt of saving the life of another) would be completely IRRATIONAL.

This is how the dictionary defines the word Rational:
* Having or exercising the ability to reason.
* Of sound mind; sane.
* Consistent with or based on reason; logical: rational behavior.
Definition: realistic; of sound mind
Antonyms: illogical, irrational, ridiculous, unrealistic, unreasonable, unsound

As inhumane as this may sound to some, I believe mark Ingle made the correct decision up there on the mountain, and has every right to the title "hero."