Polar explorer Erling Kagge: Why risk makes life meaningful | Big Think
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Polar explorer Erling Kagge: Why risk makes life meaningful | Big Think
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There's a huge misunderstanding that the way to make your life beautiful, and the way to be happy, is to choose the path of least resistance, says polar explorer Erling Kagge.
Risk makes life meaningful; a small dimension of challenge and danger, combined with well-preparedness, is a way to be present in your life. Novel experiences stop your life from narrowing in around you and going by too fast.
Remember that Tenzing Norgay didn't die falling off a mountain. He died of lung cancer after a lifetime of smoking. Most accidents happen on the road or in the kitchen, says Kagge. Sometime's it's riskier to do nothing.
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ERLING KAGGE:
Explorer, art collector, publisher, and author, Erling Kagge is the first person to have completed the Three Poles Challenge on foot--the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest. He has written six books on exploration, philosophy, and art collecting, and runs Kagge Forlag, a publishing company based in Oslo, where he lives.
Check Erling Kagge's latest book Walking: One Step At a Time at amzn.to/2wiD0GJ
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TRANSCRIPT:
ERLING KAGGE: Life is very much about taking risks. To walk to the North Pole, walk to the South Pole, climb Everest-it's all about taking huge risks. But sometimes, it's even more risky doing nothing. If you lay on the sofa for too long, you risk getting some heart diseases. And, of course, most accidents in life are actually going on in the kitchen, if not a car hits you first.
One of the greatest climbers in history, one of my big heroes, Tenzing Norgay, didn't die from falling down the mountain. He died from lung cancer because he was smoking all the time. And this happens again and again. So I think, first of all, you need to take risks. That's part of life. But having said that, to me, the most important of that is to be well prepared. I have always been extremely well prepared in my expeditions. So for me, it hasn't been as dangerous as it would have been for other people.
But if it hadn't been dangerous walking to the North Pole or climbing Mount Everest, I would never have done it. It's part of life. It's part of what gives it meaning. And all this kind of little dimension of fear or danger makes you feel that you're very much present in your life. You don't really care about anything but what's happening there and then. And of course, that's a feeling you can't have too often in life, but once in a while, it's a beautiful feeling.
I think in life, you need some uncertainty. Like, you know, it's quite often I hear people and they don't want to have any uncertainty in life at all. And I think that's a big mistake, because you need variation in your life. You need to be surprised. You need novelty. Because if you don't have it, time narrows in. Like, it feels like everything moves on really fast, quickly.
And also, the universe around us, or the space around us, somewhat narrows in if you know what's going to happen in the next minute or the next day. The way to feel that you're alive, the way to feel present in your life, is to take risks and feel that not everything is certain, that it can be some rough oceans ahead. That's just the way to live rich life. To hold this idea of a risk-less society is a huge misunderstanding. It's nice that the government tried to help us in a number of different ways, but we need to be able to risk something.
I think every morning you wake up, you make all the choices throughout the day. There is the easy option, and the more difficult option. And of course, it's very tempting always to choose the easiest option in life. The problematic side of that is that then you're not any longer a free human being because it's predestined what are you're going to do throughout the whole day because you always choose the easiest option. So to live a free life, you actually have to go for the most difficult options quite often in your life. So that's kind of a huge misunderstanding, that the way to make your life beautiful, the way to have a happy life, is to go for the easiest options.
![ARGENTINA vs. CHILE [3-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 7](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/De3AWmXzhuA/mqdefault.jpg)
Do you think risk makes life meaningful?
I found this very enlightening. The most crucial thing is that "sometimes doing nothing entails the highest risk". So playing it safe sometimes isn't at all safe at all, it does have missed opportunities or "opportunity cost"
For the past year I have woken up at 3 a.m., then run at 5 a.m., in all weathers. Started at 1 mile, now up to 7 miles or more. I live in a northern climate, U.S., and I often run in a bilzzard on the unplowed road. I've never felt more alive in all my life. I turn 60 soon, and am signed up for my first marathon. Erling Kagge's books speak my language. 🌸 🙏 🔥
I've hopped cliffs on skis since I was 12. Always prepared until one day I wasn't and broke my neck. Recovering was a great experience in willpower (I skied 100 days later with a repaired C5) and so is skiing with my son and wife now. I'm 55 and still hop rocks and still take risks in business. Lots of great landings gave me confidence to keep at it, but a willingness to recover when things don't go well , is the key to risk taking.
I read his book, “Silence In The Age Of Noise” and it was absolutely delightful.
I have been following you since the very beginning and have seen you grow. Your work and dedication has inspired me to start my own channel and put in a lot of effort
Looking forward to your support and advice as always!
Lovely channel!
Great content!
Great stuff , good luck 😄
Chaotic Finance awesome!
Good work Chaotic Finance !
Calculated risk, please!
Autonomous, Authenticity, and Adventurous. Thanks!
The world: staying home because of pandemic
Big Think: WhY RisK MaKeS YoUr liFe MeaNinGful
Not the best timing, you're right :D
Kinda hard to catch anything like that being hundreds of kilometers away of any humans, but if people want to make excuses they will make excuses.
As apposed to other channels "My Perfect Stay At Home Hairstyle!" -12 minutes video with 3 million views
Well said, life isn't about not doing anything in hope you stay safe, it's about actually living (which risk is an inherent part of). The key is planning and preparation
I feel stuck in a job and too afraid to change because I’m so risk-averse. This video really spoke to me.
Too bad we’re in the age of COVID and I would be a moron to leave my secure job now.
I saw his book called in a shop called "The Philosophy of an Explorer : 16 Life-lessons from Surviving the Extreme." When I searched online I keep finding a book called "Philosophy for Polar Explorers." Are these the same exact books? I'm in Czech Republic.
BIG THINK IS SUCH AN AWESOME CHANNEL, Big Think have both inspired me and helped me in my own personal development. I would really want to thank this channel for everything it has given me. This channel has actually inspired me so much so that I have even started my own channel. I see my channel as my way of making the world a better place and to give back for everyone who have given me things and inspiration in life, I’m grateful for all the support I can get in growing my channel.
Bold for you to post this Now, considering the Lock down.
Lock down is paranoia exaggerated by mass media. Go for a walk.
How appropriate to talk about seeing new things and taking risks while we're under quarantine, haha!
I wonder if there is a difference between a meaningful and purposeful life?
He's right, fuck this isolation bullshit, I'm going out 😂. *JOKING* Stay at home, protect yourselves, your family, others, and the health care system 👍🏼
This crazy scientist is awesome
So sad
I can relate to this guy so much.
He has all the wisdom and experience he wants to share with you, but he's not the best with speech/wording.
Ray he’s fine. Many people find the Scandinavian accents very appealing.
👍 Try and fail, but don't fail to try. A dude by the name of @evenkingsfall (his insta) always says you have to THINK BIG to WIN BIG! Always keep that attitude! Keep up with the great videos 💥
Now we're talking! I liked the speech more than I like most stuff on this channel
Honestly, this guy looks a bit like a crazy scientist :)
*I love it* :p
The biggest risk is being too afraid to take any risks.. and ending up in your death bed looking back.. and regretting not living a rich meaningful life.
there's something beautiful about being old and full or regrets. it's like a f.u to the meaning of life.
@@ventricity We make or find our own meaning in life.
Old video, stop replaying things from the past!
*" if it hadn't been dangerous walking to the North Pole or climbing Mount Everest, I would never have done it. It's part of life. It's part of what gives it meaning."*
He's an adrenaline junky. It's dangerous to go to work, but there is a reason for it beyond thrill-seeking. I feel sorry for a guy who dies falling off a mountain because the death was so needless, so unproductive, so pointless. Promoting this kind of risk is criminal. He talks about fear of engaging in life threatening behavior as "taking the easy option". I'm okay with that. How about conquering those fears of things that aren't life threatening. These can be more crippling than falling off a mountain. For some, it's taking a chance on love, going out in public, admitting some failure or other or being ashamed of admitting who you are. For some at some stage of their life these can induce more panic and terror than any of your "fear for you life" risky adventures.
All death just as life is needless, unproductive and meaningless....
It's only you who gives it meaning, need and define it's productivity
@@entropicpedro *"All death just as life is needless, unproductive and meaningless...."*
"Meaning" is exclusively the purview living since the non-living don't value anything. Your reply doesn't correct my post at all and doesn't address it's points in the least.
@@ExtantFrodo2 I was gonna something something Friedrich Nietzsche related but, it's late and I'm sleepy...cheers man
@@entropicpedro Sleep now.
Ignorance gives life meaning
Not ignorance exactly, but not knowing what's gonna happen next, ignorance of the outcome of our choices.
First!
nonsense