You exhibitionist

I know when I’m properly in recovery because I start to re-engage with the outside world.  I know when I’m not properly recovered when I have time to re-engage with the outside world.  It’s a small window, and we’re there.

I’m finding myself inquisitive about a few things at the moment, mostly these three:

1. The Paul Kimmage Defence fund
2. The Team Sky Tour de France leadership debate
3. The Everest Sherpa – “Westerner” brawl

Increasingly I find myself sceptical about third hand sources of information.  I guess that’s one of the consequences of the internet era; no longer can we be satisfied with seemingly expert opinion, the outcomes of someone else’s research.  Even their well thought out and researched balanced consideration, however well written, just doesn’t cut the mustard with me.  I’d rather see the stilted writing of a first hand source or hear an interview, but not just the carefully selected extracts of an interview.  I’ve become demanding and it’s because the internet makes it seem possible that you *should* be able to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

There’s a lot of well meaning folk who feel they are somehow qualified and appropriate to speak on someone else’s behalf. It’s interesting to think about their motivations.  And because there's a lot of hypocrisy and double standards about, maybe I'm just doing the same.

For example, the Team Sky Tour de France discussion seems to have two possible race leaders, both of whom I suspect understand that the decision will be down to who is best placed to win the race.  There’s a first hand interview with Bradley Wiggins where he outlines the process as he sees it.  There’s no word from Chris Froome.  There is, however, his girlfriend’s take on matters which makes me wince.  I suspect if I acted similarly on behalf of a partner then he’d have every right to be furious with me for a) assuming he was unable to speak for himself b) making a fool of myself c) believing that a professionally run organisation would allow a hysterical woman’s twitter to impact decision making.  If someone decided to similarly stand up for me I’d be bloody furious.  After all, I am a living thinking being, not tied to the apron strings of a man and I think for myself and speak for myself and choose how to fight my battles. Indeed, here I don’t even think there’s a battle of words to be undertaken. It’s all about the legs.  Madness I tell you, Madness.  But can you trust a third party viewpoint?  Here you have a pretty relaxed “G” on the subject G Talks to the Telegraph

I guess the issue which has rattled my cage most has been the Everest brawl.  I hate when individuals are lumped together in an extraordinary fashion.  I don’t like the binary divisions into “westerners” and “sherpas”.  I don’t like the way it’s assumed that the incident on the mountain has categorised people and suggested all who belong to either grouping are represented by the behaviour of a few.  It’s stupid.  

I have, inevitably looked for original sources.  There are language barriers and technology barriers and this is what I came up with:

Ueli Steck “Westerner” Interview with Ueli Steck

Simone Moro “Westerner”

Simone Moro's blog

Jon Griffith – source Guardian

Jon Griffith interview with Guardian

Or if you prefer, this one:

Jon Griffith letter to UK Climbing

The Sherpas Viewpoint. Not written by a Sherpa.

The "sherpa's viewpoint"

I mean, how mad is this, claiming to be the Sherpas Viewpoint and mostly backing this up with quotes from an American guide.  It contains this quote “I have pieced together an objective version of events” which comes across, in my view, as downright arrogant. 

All in all, I don’t have an opinion.  I can’t.  I’m only hearing one side, and frankly have in some ways perhaps no more than a passing interest.  I am intrigued though by the concept of cultural differences which may have contributed to this, the ways people react to threats, what behaviours are acceptable, and the naivety perhaps of people a bit like me.

Maybe the Paul Kimmage defence fund can wait for another day ...

This was brought to you by PJ Harvey, and this particular version chosen because hey, I was there that year in Reading.