J
JCorbot
Guest
By way of explanation
Hi all,
Simon and I were PMing about this daft Corbot thing and he asked what I thought was a very valid question.
‘What is the point of all this and also what do I hope to gain’
He also pointed out that some had been annoyed by the Corbot ruse and that it was unfair to play these games. Which I thought was completely fair, and was working on the assumption the Corbot identity was clear. So I thought I’d post trying to answer Simon’s question and hopefully gain some ‘peace of mind in doing so’ as well as explore some interesting ideas.
Firstly the original intention of Corbot was to gently re-introduce the mag back to ukb to see if anyone was interested, but at the same time maintain the weird and slightly uncomfortable nature of the material which is open both to the positive and negative aspects of life and as a vehicle ‘climbing experiences’. I’ll admit maybe this wasn’t the best plan and as I realised people didn’t get it, I let on to various forum members like Will and Doylo who made it more clear. So sincere apologies for any upset on any level caused. If it helps even my wife thinks it (the mag) is offensive and I am a bit nuts.
The mag it’s self and the content operates on a variety of levels motivated by both internal and external factors. Climbing and its place in human experience can be thought of on some level as a masochistic and narcissistic pursuit. (I don’t mean narcissistic in a negative way but more of a fragile way in the sense that most of us desire to be liked and applauded). There is an abusive relationship with ‘the rock’ and in some senses nature itself. The rewards are often intense and very far apart, the suffering and sacrifices in-between are often great and sometimes at the expense of life, limb, health and relationships. We all trample, clean, drill, litter, poo and wee etc etc to be eventually gratified by conquering, regardless of what people say of alternative motivations. Will Hunt evoked a strong image to me describing arriving at Malham on a cool autumn day to see a climber hanging in his harness, wrapped on in a down jacket head and shoulder slumped like a body in a gibbet. Or alternatively Shark’s red wine soaked self loathing in Oak Based power club entries are regardless of actual experiences, evoke a sense of despair and suffering that has been chosen. I believe this is also represented in the pseudo positive nature of the climbing culture and associated commoditisation. Which results in for example timed training, nutritional restriction and obsessional mentality at the expense of interpersonal relationships.
Part of the mags purpose is to explore this in both a humorous and satirical way while also having a serious message. In a climate where positivity is valued above all else there seems no place to voice frustrations for fear of ‘the moral dissecting table’ a perfect example of the binds people are placed in by the ukc opinion pieces on issues such as Kinder ‘gate’ scandal. I’m pretty sure they won’t do a follow up on the Ste Mac ‘c@n5 gate’ scandal, and I don’t really blame them but it is curious why?
From a more internal motivation, well I’ve always been a highly neurotic individual who also likes doing creative things. The creative side has often been hijacked by an anxiety about wanting to be liked, well regarded, to perform and at some points crippling existential anxiety. As I’ve got older I wondered what it would be like to express myself free from these shackles. Initially this of course led to a polarised and probably quite negative ‘lashing out’ at all things that made me ‘feel bad’. But as times gone on the creative, fun and social exploration of all of this stuff is becoming more appealing. I’m actually in the process of writing a graphic novel serialised in the mag. I’ll include an excerpt below. For anyone who’d like a copy of the second issue free I have extra printing credits left over, please pm me and I’ll post it. For anyone I’ve upset in the Corbot gate affair and / or culled from the Instagram account in the buzzard build up. Please accept apologies. I will keep the insta account private but anyone can join over 18 without fear of getting shit.
Simon, thanks for prompting me to not be a twat. (Although that is brown nosing)
‘Isolation, Meaninglessness, Mortality and Freedom’
(Excerpt from graphic novel)
The modern world presents an ever evolving crisis, a crisis of identity, a crisis of physical form, a crisis of personal and cultural function. Commoditisation has diluted past symbolism, meaning has been lost and then formed into homogenous mass. A move towards sanitisation through a ‘cleansing’ of minds and bodies. Individuals operate in a ‘pretend’ mode where positivity and community is revered to the detriment of expression. This crisis presents an existential dilemma where the past self is being lost and one must find a new way. To transcend, to individuate, to gain insight to experience the givens’ of existence. Isolation, meaninglessness, mortality and freedom. Through consideration of the past and the development of the self in relation to the pursuit, to think about things of risk and fear, mood and value, meaning and the obsession with progress.
Hi all,
Simon and I were PMing about this daft Corbot thing and he asked what I thought was a very valid question.
‘What is the point of all this and also what do I hope to gain’
He also pointed out that some had been annoyed by the Corbot ruse and that it was unfair to play these games. Which I thought was completely fair, and was working on the assumption the Corbot identity was clear. So I thought I’d post trying to answer Simon’s question and hopefully gain some ‘peace of mind in doing so’ as well as explore some interesting ideas.
Firstly the original intention of Corbot was to gently re-introduce the mag back to ukb to see if anyone was interested, but at the same time maintain the weird and slightly uncomfortable nature of the material which is open both to the positive and negative aspects of life and as a vehicle ‘climbing experiences’. I’ll admit maybe this wasn’t the best plan and as I realised people didn’t get it, I let on to various forum members like Will and Doylo who made it more clear. So sincere apologies for any upset on any level caused. If it helps even my wife thinks it (the mag) is offensive and I am a bit nuts.
The mag it’s self and the content operates on a variety of levels motivated by both internal and external factors. Climbing and its place in human experience can be thought of on some level as a masochistic and narcissistic pursuit. (I don’t mean narcissistic in a negative way but more of a fragile way in the sense that most of us desire to be liked and applauded). There is an abusive relationship with ‘the rock’ and in some senses nature itself. The rewards are often intense and very far apart, the suffering and sacrifices in-between are often great and sometimes at the expense of life, limb, health and relationships. We all trample, clean, drill, litter, poo and wee etc etc to be eventually gratified by conquering, regardless of what people say of alternative motivations. Will Hunt evoked a strong image to me describing arriving at Malham on a cool autumn day to see a climber hanging in his harness, wrapped on in a down jacket head and shoulder slumped like a body in a gibbet. Or alternatively Shark’s red wine soaked self loathing in Oak Based power club entries are regardless of actual experiences, evoke a sense of despair and suffering that has been chosen. I believe this is also represented in the pseudo positive nature of the climbing culture and associated commoditisation. Which results in for example timed training, nutritional restriction and obsessional mentality at the expense of interpersonal relationships.
Part of the mags purpose is to explore this in both a humorous and satirical way while also having a serious message. In a climate where positivity is valued above all else there seems no place to voice frustrations for fear of ‘the moral dissecting table’ a perfect example of the binds people are placed in by the ukc opinion pieces on issues such as Kinder ‘gate’ scandal. I’m pretty sure they won’t do a follow up on the Ste Mac ‘c@n5 gate’ scandal, and I don’t really blame them but it is curious why?
From a more internal motivation, well I’ve always been a highly neurotic individual who also likes doing creative things. The creative side has often been hijacked by an anxiety about wanting to be liked, well regarded, to perform and at some points crippling existential anxiety. As I’ve got older I wondered what it would be like to express myself free from these shackles. Initially this of course led to a polarised and probably quite negative ‘lashing out’ at all things that made me ‘feel bad’. But as times gone on the creative, fun and social exploration of all of this stuff is becoming more appealing. I’m actually in the process of writing a graphic novel serialised in the mag. I’ll include an excerpt below. For anyone who’d like a copy of the second issue free I have extra printing credits left over, please pm me and I’ll post it. For anyone I’ve upset in the Corbot gate affair and / or culled from the Instagram account in the buzzard build up. Please accept apologies. I will keep the insta account private but anyone can join over 18 without fear of getting shit.
Simon, thanks for prompting me to not be a twat. (Although that is brown nosing)
‘Isolation, Meaninglessness, Mortality and Freedom’
(Excerpt from graphic novel)
The modern world presents an ever evolving crisis, a crisis of identity, a crisis of physical form, a crisis of personal and cultural function. Commoditisation has diluted past symbolism, meaning has been lost and then formed into homogenous mass. A move towards sanitisation through a ‘cleansing’ of minds and bodies. Individuals operate in a ‘pretend’ mode where positivity and community is revered to the detriment of expression. This crisis presents an existential dilemma where the past self is being lost and one must find a new way. To transcend, to individuate, to gain insight to experience the givens’ of existence. Isolation, meaninglessness, mortality and freedom. Through consideration of the past and the development of the self in relation to the pursuit, to think about things of risk and fear, mood and value, meaning and the obsession with progress.