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I am not sad for him personally. We all die, he chose his time and place. Attempting to summit Everest is meaningful in part because one out of every ten climbe

I am not sad for him personally. We all die, he chose his time and place. Attempting to summit Everest is meaningful in part because one out of every ten climbers making the final push doesn't make it home alive. Compare and contrast his death to Bob Parsons' cowardly choice of shooting an elephant. Bob was never in any meaningful danger, where is the courage in killing an animal that can't shoot back? I am sorry for his family's loss.

johncollins 15y ago
Yes, I am sorry for the elephant family's loss also. What bob did was NOT cool
VMG 15y ago
> Attempting to summit Everest is meaningful in part because one out of every ten climbers making the final push doesn't make it home alive. How does that make it more meaningful? Does the fact that it can be deadly make playing russian roulette meaningful too then?
- danenania 15y ago
  I'd say so. It may not be meaningful in the life accomplishment sense, but I'd imagine that staring death in the face in those moments before the click is probably about as vivid and emotionally intense as life can get. An experience doesn't have to be virtuous or reasonable to be meaningful. I find this conversation pretty bizarre. Of course climbing Mount Everest is meaningful. It's used ubiquitously as a metaphor for the ultimate in human achievement! Just because it may be selfish or egotistically motivated in some circumstances doesn't mean it isn't a deeply meaningful and symbolic challenge to undertake.
jemfinch 15y ago
John Delaney left behind two sons and a pregnant wife pursuing a meaningless accomplishment. Bob Parsons killed an elephant who was destroying crops and fed an African village. I'm troubled by your use of "meaningful" in describing danger. Danger is not meaningful in itself. An act does not become meaningful because 10% of the people who attempt it die. Acts are meaningful based on their impact on the world around them. Ascending the summit of Everest is ultimately meaningless; killing an elephant who was destroying crops and feeding an African village is quite meaningful.
- thomasgerbe 15y ago
  Those darn elephants trying to eat. That'll learn 'em!
- tptacek 15y ago
  I'm confused here too. Isn't elephant population control a problem in Africa?
  - wahnfrieden 15y ago
    Mainly because moving them to an elephant reserve costs a good amount of money (something like $5000 per, if I recall correctly) and it's cheaper to just shoot them. His hunting trip was probably more expensive than that.
    - tptacek 15y ago
      My understanding is that elephants are being routinely culled on reserves, as well. They eat. A lot. (I don't mind the downvote at all but it's be good to know if the downvotes connote the fact that I'm wrong; I may be!)
      - jemfinch 15y ago
        A cursory googling for "elephants culled on reserves" shows several stories from reliable sources indicating that you're not mistaken.
- peterbraden 15y ago
  to play devils advocate: Elephants are far more endangered than humans. Does something have to propagate the human species to be meaningful, or can non-physical aspirations not be considered meaningful too?
- raganwald 15y ago
  Sorry, that's YOUR definition, and good for you that you consider altruism more meaningful than courage. But yours is not the only definition, as I'm sure you are perfectly aware. Now as to Mr. Parsons, don't be suckered into equating his killing an elephant with the question of whether elephants should be culled. Culling an elephant involves game wardens. What he did was murder tourism, big difference.

johncollins 15y ago

Yes, I am sorry for the elephant family's loss also. What bob did was NOT cool

VMG 15y ago

> Attempting to summit Everest is meaningful in part because one out of every ten climbers making the final push doesn't make it home alive. How does that make it more meaningful? Does the fact that it can be deadly make playing russian roulette meaningful too then?

danenania 15y ago
I'd say so. It may not be meaningful in the life accomplishment sense, but I'd imagine that staring death in the face in those moments before the click is probably about as vivid and emotionally intense as life can get. An experience doesn't have to be virtuous or reasonable to be meaningful. I find this conversation pretty bizarre. Of course climbing Mount Everest is meaningful. It's used ubiquitously as a metaphor for the ultimate in human achievement! Just because it may be selfish or egotistically motivated in some circumstances doesn't mean it isn't a deeply meaningful and symbolic challenge to undertake.

jemfinch 15y ago

John Delaney left behind two sons and a pregnant wife pursuing a meaningless accomplishment. Bob Parsons killed an elephant who was destroying crops and fed an African village. I'm troubled by your use of "meaningful" in describing danger. Danger is not meaningful in itself. An act does not become meaningful because 10% of the people who attempt it die. Acts are meaningful based on their impact on the world around them. Ascending the summit of Everest is ultimately meaningless; killing an elephant who was destroying crops and feeding an African village is quite meaningful.

thomasgerbe 15y ago
Those darn elephants trying to eat. That'll learn 'em!
tptacek 15y ago
I'm confused here too. Isn't elephant population control a problem in Africa?
- wahnfrieden 15y ago
  Mainly because moving them to an elephant reserve costs a good amount of money (something like $5000 per, if I recall correctly) and it's cheaper to just shoot them. His hunting trip was probably more expensive than that.
  - tptacek 15y ago
    My understanding is that elephants are being routinely culled on reserves, as well. They eat. A lot. (I don't mind the downvote at all but it's be good to know if the downvotes connote the fact that I'm wrong; I may be!)
    - jemfinch 15y ago
      A cursory googling for "elephants culled on reserves" shows several stories from reliable sources indicating that you're not mistaken.
peterbraden 15y ago
to play devils advocate: Elephants are far more endangered than humans. Does something have to propagate the human species to be meaningful, or can non-physical aspirations not be considered meaningful too?
raganwald 15y ago
Sorry, that's YOUR definition, and good for you that you consider altruism more meaningful than courage. But yours is not the only definition, as I'm sure you are perfectly aware. Now as to Mr. Parsons, don't be suckered into equating his killing an elephant with the question of whether elephants should be culled. Culling an elephant involves game wardens. What he did was murder tourism, big difference.