Originally Posted by Roger the Alien (fka noseyrosie):
Oh my goodness Eugene what an awful tragedy
It must have been fascinating to hear Matt Dickinson talk though. Suppose we're drawn to death and the macabre?
He must be haunted by such an experience. You'd wonder what drives them to do it really.
Dickinson is indeed fascinating to listen to. He definitely caught the "bug" regarding dangerous sports, but he was always very conscious of the moral issues involved, such as the possible effect of his activities on his partner and family. Similary, he's constantly aware of the moral issues related to his journalism (such as the photos mentioned previously). Presumably war reporters go through a similar thought process. Yes, it is a very difficult subject to deal with, but Dickinson - to his credit - addresses it very thoughtfully and seriously.
If you get the chance (and feel up to it), I would recommend "The Death Zone". Jon Krakauer's book "In Thin Air" is the famous text on that period, as his guides (one of whom was the mountaineering "great", Rob Hall) were among the dead. However Dickinson's book serves as a counterpoint to that, and knowing about the tragedy unfolding elsewhere on the mountain makes his and Hinkes's achievement even more remarkable.