David Sharp, Everest, ethics, & climbing

Through David Zinger's blog, I came across a great discussion on a great website, the Ethics Scoreboard. This article is insightful, and brings up many essential issues regarding the 2006 death of David Sharp on Everest as well as how we deal with ethical decisions in difficult situations.

I especially enjoyed what the author, Jack Marshall, concluded with:

The significance of the David Sharp tragedy is not that the mountaineers did the wrong thing. Of course they did the wrong thing. Nor is it that they are callous or unethical people, for they are probably no more so than you or I. The importance of the story is that it vividly shows how difficult it can be to make even obvious ethical choices when powerful non-ethical considerations are in our sights. Every one of us has a goal or a dream or a desire that could make us walk by a dying man. It is our responsibility to recognize what those goals, dreams and desires are, and to force ourselves not to forget about right and wrong as we approach them.

How true that is.

So, the big question for us all:

As you ascend your mountain, as you move toward your biggest dream in life, where are you prepared to stop, change direction, and follow your ethical principals instead of the route to the top?

Comments

[Kirk]

"The significance of the David Sharp tragedy is not that the mountaineers did the wrong thing. Of course they did the wrong thing."

What was the right thing to do?

[Cynthia M Andersen]

The right thing to do Jake for each individual is to ask themselves if they can live with themselves by just walking past or not doing everything in their power to help someone - Francys Arsentiev another prime example -I could not live with myself hearing her words - please don't leave me - that would stay with me as i grow old more than making the summit - Charles Houston had the right idea - brotherhood of the rope and I say brotherhood of the rope or death of conscience.......love your web page - cynthia andersen - Arvada - Colorado

[Timberland Outlets]

let's join our hands together to stop this kind of wrong doings. It may risk lives in the future if we just let them continue.

[Gary dooley]

How could you just leave a man to die, i am sorry but i would never do what all them people did. you all need to think long and hard about your life and would you like it if everyone left you there to die.