I knew that you couldn't make a living simply writing about the outdoors, so I made an effort from the beginning of my freelance career to write about other subjects.
Jon KrakauerRead
Why climb? That's a question that baffles me. It perplexes me. I really asked that a lot on Everest. I can't justify it. I can't say it's for a good cause. All I can say is look at the history of exploration: it's full of vainglorious pursuits.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the perplexity of human ambition, particularly in the context of climbing mountains.
Jon Krakauer's quote captures the enigmatic nature of human motivation to undertake challenges that may not have a clear or noble purpose. While the act of climbing, especially Everest, can seem vain or pointless, it also highlights humanity’s relentless pursuit of exploration and adventure, often driven by personal ambition and the desire to test one's limits.
Themes
ClimbingExplorationHuman AmbitionMountainsChallenge
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about pursuing dreams despite uncertainties, this quote can be referenced to illustrate the complexity of human ambition.
More from Jon Krakauer
All quotes →Getting to the top of any given mountain was considered much less important than how one got there: prestige was earned by tackling the most unforgiving routes with minimal equipment, in the boldest style imaginable.
Jon KrakauerRead
He read a lot. He used a lot of big words. I think maybe part of what got him into trouble was that he did too much thinking. Sometimes he tried too hard to make sense of the world, to figure out why people were bad to each other so often. A couple of times I tried to tell him it was a mistake to get too deep into that kind of stuff, but Alex got stuck on things. He always had to know the absolute right answer before he could go on to the next thing.
Jon KrakauerRead
Having stumbled upon a tolerable career, for the first time in my life I was actually living above the poverty line. My hunger to climb had been blunted, in short, by a bunch of small satisfactions that added up to something like happiness.
Jon KrakauerRead
The way Everest is guided is very different from the way other mountains are guided, and it flies in the face of values I hold dear: self-reliance, taking responsibility for what you do, making your own decisions, trusting your judgment - the kind of judgment that comes only through paying your dues, through experience.
Jon KrakauerRead
Mountains make poor receptacles for dreams.
Jon KrakauerRead
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