Philosophyforlife.org Website Review

Honnold’s attempt to free climb El Capitan in 2017. It’s a horror film. You watch squirming in your seat, as this likeable young man dangles by his fingertips 2,300 metres off the ground in Yosemite. Even the cameraman can’t watch. What powers this superhero? Honnold is quite frank about the secret of his success. He’s driven, he says, by a ‘bottomless pit of self-loathing’. His father died when he was young, and his rather icy mother didn’t hug him or show him much affection, but instead told him repeatedly that ‘nearly is not there’ and ‘good is not good enough’. That’s what powered him to success – a critical mother, plus an unusual amygdala which doesn’t really feel fear, plus layers of He’s able to climb to the top of his sport because he has no fear, and no attachments. He lives in a van. He doesn’t have a gi*lfriend. He eats his dinner straight from the sauce-pan with a spatula. He is totally focused on climbing. He accepts that ‘everyday you may die, book signing. He decides to give it a go though he is barely committed to her at the start of the film. Gradually, we see Alex let down his Stoic armour and allow Sanni in. The first is her fault – she lets go of a rope and he falls on his back. The second is his fault. While climbing with her, he just lets He blames it on her: ‘I’ve never had an accident, then I meet her, and I have two in a year.’ He is beginning to feel fear, because he recognizes that he is vulnerable. He has something to lose. His friend explains. To free solo effectively, you need to be single. Have no attachments, nothing to distract you. And now he has an attachment. An emotional rope. She loves him, she doesn’t want him to die. He buys a house with her. She’s excited, imagining where all the furniture will go. He couldn’t give a sh*t. ‘I could just sleep on As they become closer, she asks him tentatively, would you consider making longevity more of a priority? Absolutely not, he replies.