Fall of the Phantom Lord
Reading on the world class rock- climbing expert Dan Osman (a hero in the mind of many climbers), he is famous for free soloing (climbing without rope or other safety gear) and free-falling.
There was a report about him not so long ago on TV, where they recorded his last interview (he died in 1998 when his rope broke during a free fall jump from rock in Yosemite National Park). He was saying that he was afraid when he was climbing and suddenly realised how high he was from the ground, and that his arm was aching, but he told himself that he had to get to the top of the rock, and said that it was time for him to do something else, that he had fun doing what he was doing... Maybe for many he is a hero for pushing the notion of taking risk, of challenge fate and take control of your own death, but for me it was more for his lifestyle that I admire.
How many of us dare to live the passion like he did? We are too busy to find ways to make a living, to pay debt, to take care of family. He did earn just enough money so that he could carry his dreams to reality, so his death is not sudden but a matter of fact, and he is the one who is controlling it. Was he selfish and irresponisble? or acting stupid for leaving his daughter behind? Surely, everyone takes risk when we think that it is at an ok level for us to take, and dying is destined (hey, we could die while we are eating), and if you read the book, he did think about his daughter, and that most of actions he has taken were well calculated, he did not wish to die, but it is a risk in doing certain sports. It is not because we are not willing to take certain kind of risk, that everyone else takes it is wrong. Anyway, I don't know him, so I can't say whether he was a stupid guy for taking too many risks, and to be honest, we are in no position to make a judgement on a man who already passed away. Sadly, we are trapped with too many values that when someone did something different, we say it isn't right ;-). Who knows, maybe his daughter is actually proud of what he did (eh, we human usually seem to see things negatively)...
That image of a man with long dark hair climing on the face of the straight rock like a spider stayed in my mind. He surely was a cool talented guy!
Grrh, look like this year we are unable to do some outdoor climbing...
There was a report about him not so long ago on TV, where they recorded his last interview (he died in 1998 when his rope broke during a free fall jump from rock in Yosemite National Park). He was saying that he was afraid when he was climbing and suddenly realised how high he was from the ground, and that his arm was aching, but he told himself that he had to get to the top of the rock, and said that it was time for him to do something else, that he had fun doing what he was doing... Maybe for many he is a hero for pushing the notion of taking risk, of challenge fate and take control of your own death, but for me it was more for his lifestyle that I admire.
How many of us dare to live the passion like he did? We are too busy to find ways to make a living, to pay debt, to take care of family. He did earn just enough money so that he could carry his dreams to reality, so his death is not sudden but a matter of fact, and he is the one who is controlling it. Was he selfish and irresponisble? or acting stupid for leaving his daughter behind? Surely, everyone takes risk when we think that it is at an ok level for us to take, and dying is destined (hey, we could die while we are eating), and if you read the book, he did think about his daughter, and that most of actions he has taken were well calculated, he did not wish to die, but it is a risk in doing certain sports. It is not because we are not willing to take certain kind of risk, that everyone else takes it is wrong. Anyway, I don't know him, so I can't say whether he was a stupid guy for taking too many risks, and to be honest, we are in no position to make a judgement on a man who already passed away. Sadly, we are trapped with too many values that when someone did something different, we say it isn't right ;-). Who knows, maybe his daughter is actually proud of what he did (eh, we human usually seem to see things negatively)...
That image of a man with long dark hair climing on the face of the straight rock like a spider stayed in my mind. He surely was a cool talented guy!
Grrh, look like this year we are unable to do some outdoor climbing...
posted by Vagabonder @ 1:12 PM
2 Comments:
At 3:12 AM,
Chuang Shyue Chou said…
To live such a life is indeed something.
May I know if you have read the 'Fight Club' or watched the film of the same name?
What of Douglas Coupland's 'Generation X'? 'Microserfs'? Salaryman, office drones, and others. Few would dare to step out and embrace such a lifestyle. What can one say?
At 9:28 AM,
Vagabonder said…
No, haven't read or watched any of titles you mentioned, but could somehow imagin what it likes.
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