Mountaineering, Myth and the Meaning of Life: psychoanalysing alpinism

ABSTRACT

I attempt to provide a new answer to the enduring question of why people take the acute risks of climbing mountains. In so doing, I aim to explain, but not necessarily justify, participation in such endeavours. My account proceeds by analysing mountaineering adventures in terms of myth – in particular, in terms of the myth of Sisyphus and Joseph Campbell’s work on comparative mythology and psychoanalysis – and in the light of recent research in psychology on the concept of willpower. My analyses intend to establish that mountaineering is at root the attempt to affirm, validate and acquire psychological compensation for the demands of mature and responsible human agency. Finally, I consider what this account might reveal about the meaning of game-playing, sport, and human endeavour in general.

KEYWORDS:

• Mountaineering
• alpinism
• climbing
• Mallory
• myth
• willpower
• Sisyphus

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Contrary to some references, the famous quotation is not in fact contained in Mallory 2010.

2. For a graphic exposition of this point, watch Cedar Wright's 2014 film with Alex Honnold: Sufferfest.

3. Quoted in Messner and Hofler (2000, 71).

4. Take, for example, John Muir’s writings, in particular his 2009.

5. The Iliad, Book VI.

6. Henry Sidgwick’s phrase.

7. At the very end of the book, Camus introduces an unfortunate ambiguity that has hampered interpretation of his use of the Sisyphus myth. It is clear that the revolt of ‘scorn’ is an important aspect of the absurd hero’s attitude, according to Camus. But what is it that is supposed to be scorned? On 116, it is the gods that are scorned, but on 117 Camus writes famously, ‘There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn’. It cannot be, however, that Sisyphus, as Camus’ absurd hero, scorns his mountain climbing fate. Not only does this contradict the general thrust of Camus’ interpretation in the closing pages, it stands in contradiction with the closing passage: ‘The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy’ (119). Camus must mean that the absurd hero scorns the gods, and perhaps also their divine decree, but she embraces rather than scorns her fate: ‘Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks’ (119).

8. Martin Heidegger’s phrase.

9. As the psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan as well as the philosopher Martin Heidegger clearly saw. Lacan’s ethical formula is ‘don’t give up on your desire’ (2007, Chapter 24). Heidegger (1996, §60) gives resoluteness as that which our conscience calls us to.