The Sniper
March 06, 2009 09:22 AM
Saw a post the other day on UKC were someone was slagging me off (which is fair enough - I slag off enough people here), saying I was a much better climber than a writer, his main point being that my book was crap.
He was wrong, having obviously never read my book or seen me climbing (it’s the other way round, proved by the fact people compliment me on my book not on my climbing).
UKC has a tendency to dredge up the types of people who can only vent bile and negativity, peddling their opinion to anyone who’ll listen, generally no hopers with axes to grind, empty spaces they fill on forum pages and within themselves. They try and shoot people down they will never understand, doing stuff they will never do, be it Dave MaCleod, James Pearson or Simon Yates.
More often than not these people fail to comprehend the complexity of another human being’s life and motivation, a common problem in this world where we have to condense who we are to fit smaller and smaller boxes, be they on facebook, BBC online or UKC.
Personally I’ve found this slagging very useful, as it’s really thickened up my skin no end, and thick skin is what you need as stuff like this actually hurts people you know - they lose sleep over it, they question themselves, it sits in their head like a scar.
In the past they’d be a post like “who’s the best mountain speaker” were 99% of the posts would give me the thumbs up, with just on saying “Saw Andy and thought he was full of himself and left half way through”. Something like this would really spoil my day, my week, hanging in my thoughts until eventually I’d consign it to the shoe box of bad reviews in my head.
I think anyone who’s quick to post comments should consider the harm that their words can do when these posts are not a formed critique, rather more a Scud missile. Go back a search UKC for comments made to people like Alan Mullen, Scott Muir or Arlie Anderson. Read them, consider what you and others wrote, and consider its effect on another human being (because you know they read every last one).
Also consider the fact that when I give an opinion you know who I am, where I live and what I look like. Very few people who are quick to judge aren’t so keen for others to see who was doing the judging.
Often UKC makes me question climbing, it creates a view that it’s a bitter struggle of egos and grade and pointless details. It makes me see climbers as selfish, self obsessed extremists, all romance, humility and empathy moderated out…
...but then you start to get the emails. People who read what it said and didn’t agree, but who would never consider posting, emails that start “I just wanted to say…”. And then I see what real climbers are about; empathy, compassion and the ability to understand the complexity of other people and their lives.
So how did this end? Did I dazzle this guy with wit, wisdom or courtroom style argument?
No I just said what Alan Mullin would have said to him, and called him a cock and left it as that.
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Comments
Andy a brilliant post and you sight the reasons why I have turned my back on UKC other than to offer the occassional bit of encouragement to others.
I like the fact that you, Pearson, McLeod and many others lay it bare on the table no pretense. Proper people, let alone climbers.
In my experience people who slag people off in the public realm are just jealous that someone else has done something well that they could only dream of doing themselves. As an amateur author myself I too have been hurt by such comments in the past, so much so I did question whether it was worth it, but thick skin does grow as you say… Personally I read and thoroughly enjoyed your book and it made me want to go climbing… nuff said. So bollocks to the cocks who have nothing better to do than sit at home slag off those that are actually doing what they enjoy.
Hi Andy,
Just found your site, can’t remember how, but now bookmarked… I’ve got to say I saw one of your lectures in Aberdeen years ago and LOVED it, very inspirational and amusing… Thanks!
Reuben
I have just read your book and thought it was brilliant. I am not a climber but love to read of all the great mountain climbs. I can,t imagine how you go through with it all but I think it is an amazing thing to do.Well done . I hope there is another booked on it,s way
All I can say is my son (aged 9) found the talk you gave at Redpoint in Birmingham extreemly motivational with regard to his climbing and for getting out on the hill. Good effort
Cheesy moment, your my hero, gen.