[JCorbot]

Oh and I forgot to mention Mr. DT a truly solid guy and very thoughtful who in part inspired this by his very open and important podcast with Will Self. And whose climbing achievements are a personal source of inspiration which are representative of the rich tapestry of ‘only human’ motivations and the ambivalence contained within.

[abarro81]

Hi Matt, I think the answers are pretty similar to the original post.

1. Act out of comfort zone and express ideas and feelings  that I’d otherwise keep to myself.

2. Actively try to encourage questioning of some things particularly a culture which places high value on ‘measurable progress’

3. Explore some of my own confused ideas about this culture and why it’s begun to feel so vacuous to me.

You may well have succeeded on 1 and 3, but if you want to do number 2 you're better off approaching it in a way more easily processed by most people. By which I mean writing things which make sense and aren't just brain dumps.

[JCorbot]

I’m taking this as a ‘helping hand’ here, conscious or otherwise so thanks Alex. Yes the ‘brain dumping’. There is an idea that when trying to understand another persons ‘inner workings’ one can initially think ‘I get it’ but as time goes on the whole thing becomes more and more confusing so one might think ‘I don’t get them anymore’ that is the paradox in the feeling of confusion. In other words that’s what it feels or looks like for the person brain dumping, it doesn’t make sense.
I grew up in an environment where very little made sense, and feelings of security, stability and interpersonal consistency were mostly unavailable or transient. When these are the foundations of development as a child you’re left to your own devices to make sense of your emotions and thoughts in relation to others. To put it another way, there’s a tendency to flirt between unbalanced positions. All good or all bad, liked / loved or rejected abandoned. That thinking in part was what I let out in those posts. So no wonder people reacted with who is this tosser or ‘I feel this stuff’. So there’s a kind of sense in the nonsense.

[JCorbot]

Oh and I forgot to mention Mr. DT a truly solid guy and very thoughtful who in part inspired this by his very open and important podcast with Will Self. And whose climbing achievements are a personal source of inspiration which are representative of the rich tapestry of ‘only human’ motivations and the ambivalence contained within.

Doh sorry podcast with Will Treasure. Must have disturbed intellectuals on the brain 😉

[mrjonathanr]

I think Dave being interviewed by Will Self is an excellent idea. With commentary from Grimer and Joe Picalli on a bonus CD track please.

[DAVETHOMAS90]

I grew up in an environment where very little made sense, and feelings of security, stability and interpersonal consistency were mostly unavailable or transient. When these are the foundations of development as a child you’re left to your own devices to make sense of your emotions and thoughts in relation to others. To put it another way, there’s a tendency to flirt between unbalanced positions. All good or all bad, liked / loved or rejected.. a kind of sense in the nonsense.

So Dan, answering your own question (?) you want the nonsense we start from to feel like it has value (?).

That, for me, is exactly the place that some of the simplest climbing takes us to. It's not "valid because it's V7".

Another way to put it, is that we often grow up in environments where great pressure is put on us to try to be something that we're not, and I'd suggest that there's often a great deal of that in the goal oriented culture - the message is that we have to climb V7 to be valid.

But growth is also something that feels rewarding, and we can "measure" it in this context too. Change happens when we become what we already are.. and all that jazz. Entries in Power Club for instance can be made with a sense of where you've come from.

Sometimes we look for other people to give validity to that place (where we start from), but there can still be too much pressure to get on the "send bus" and not be left behind - giving up a more authentic way of being, in order to belong.

Thank you for the really kind words too. However, I don't have a solid font lever.. yet!  x

Interesting what Foucault said about eventually finding a dialogue with madness, and in Madness and Civilisation perhaps he echos your own views?

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/schizophrenia/michel-foucaults-madness-and-civilization-history-insanity-age-reason

FWIW, I think this thread is quite impressive, given all the opinions expressed.

Thanks for sticking your neck out!

[JCorbot]

Cheers Dave, I’ll check out that article. Madness dressed up as progress. I fear the omelette has become the scrambled eggs it was always destined to be.

When V0 x V0 will always equal V0

So before I dig any deeper it’s time to return to UFCK base camp 👍

[Oldmanmatt]

Cheers Dave, I’ll check out that article. Madness dressed up as progress. I fear the omelette has become the scrambled eggs it was always destined to be.

When V0 x V0 will always equal V0

So before I dig any deeper it’s time to return to UFCK base camp 👍

Omelette and Scrambled eggs are ultimately the same thing, and eventually turn into shit; however you chew it...

😱

(Sorry, awoken to 3 extra dogs (I have 3 already) rescued from a house fire, last night. Our Collie puppy is not impressed and WW3 has erupted and died several times before my coffee has settled (still drinking, almost cold) and the ten minutes before typing were spent clearing up dog shit from kitchen floor because rescued puppy (French Bulldog) let rip, big styleee! So much shit from such a tiny arse!  Anyway, carry on, ignore me).

[andy popp]

I think Dave being interviewed by Will Self is an excellent idea

A friend of mine claims to have seen Self in 'Beris yesterday so who knows, anything is possible.

[JCorbot]

Doh! Don’t bump the thread Andy, it had been making its way out of sight nicely.

Ps I was genuinely enlightened by your answer to my question that I shall refrain from repeating just in case.....

[Yossarian]

I think Dave being interviewed by Will Self is an excellent idea

A friend of mine claims to have seen Self in 'Beris yesterday so who knows, anything is possible.

I once had a conversation with him about a short story he wrote (for the Idler or Granta, can't remember which) in which a chap becomes impaled on one of the pointy concrete outside sections of the Westway wall (are they still there?) I think it was his little homage to JG Ballard, who was also obsessed with the Westway - the road, rather than any climbing facilities. Anyway, I think someone should send WS a video of DT climbing Breakaway and then organise a get-together.

[Falling Down]

Sorry to bump again Dan but Will Self just cycled past me in Holborn.

I thought about waving him down and asking him if he fancied Yoss’s suggestion but the moment passed and he was gone.  Pedalling away into the distance in his shorts and cotton jacket.