UKC

Dave Hume (a.k.a. Full Stottie) has a stab at applying a respected theory of motivation to the context of climbing.

"If a non-climber asks me why I go climbing, I'm usually taken unawares and stammer out some vague explanations about the physical and mental challenge, being outside, the company, got into it unexpectedly and got hooked for life.....yet when I hear myself blabber on, it all sounds a bit clichéd. So what IS my underlying motivation? Why do YOU climb?"

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=3808

In reply to UKC Articles: being a self confessed control freak i recently realised I like people to be worried about me when I climb! my sneaky subconscious (well till i realised) way of controlling my loved ones/climbing partners? put me off for a while, I try not to worry anyone now. still a proto at heart.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great article and, tongue-in-cheek as it is, it does seem to me that a disproportionate number of British climbers fall into the latter category..??!! If I had a pound for the number of times someone has offered me unwanted advice...

In reply to UKC Articles:

So I'm the only one who climbs because climbing is fun and you get a bit of fresh air?

In reply to trouserburp: You sound like a Proto

In reply to peterp:

In my experience they don't! Most are genuinely friendly people.

If I had a pound for the number of times someone has offered me unwanted advice..

Ever thought that they might be trying to be genuinely helpful?

In reply to James Oswald:

Sometimes yes but most of the time no to be honest. It often comes across as condescending and has a ‘stamping one's authority’ type feel to it. Happens all over the place – from Ben Nevis to Brimham – and tends to be older chaps with big helmets and lots of hexes:

a) do I know how to set up a belay? Yes!
b) do I want to be told how hard the climb is and have beta forced down my throat? No! If I did I'd ask!
c) do I care that you once climbed the route in the dark, solo after three pints? No, not really.

Full Stottie! Good to read you on UKC as I have probably been drummed out of the NMC now for failing to pay my subs. I haven't mastered the passwords on their forum so cannot feed in my usual helpful banter.
Freefall

In reply to UKC Articles:

I enjoyed that article, got me thinking though of the time I was trying a boulder problem and was struggling with staying on the roof of the overhang, I stopped and took a rest and someone came over and did it. He could have been showing off but he was obviously far better than I, I saw where I was going wrong and nailed it straight after.
Later I could see some lads making the exact same mistake I had made, time and time again, they were having fun however in passing I told them how to get around the problem.

Now I wonder whether I was a prat, protos or a patria. They nailed the problem and seemed happy enough. Not sure I will offer advice again now...

In reply to fozmeister:


You just sound nice!

In reply to UKC Articles:

What a really nicely-crafted article! Sincerely, I really enjoyed reading and re-reading it and had a lot of fun ascribing different classifications to climbers I know. A nice change of direction from that dictionary thing you did. Clearly you're a very versatile and interesting writer and I hope we'll see lots more of your writing. Well done.

(I'd also like to congratulate the editors on publishing an article which is different to many of the articles on UKC).

In reply to Colin Matheson:

Good to hear from you - are you keeping everyone pointing in the right direction north of border?

In reply to BPT@work:

Thanks Patria. Nice to get some feedback. I can't write about on sighting E9s, so have to find some outlet for my frustration!