Opinion | The real tragedy behind the Everest traffic jam: climate catastrophe and the capitalist malaise at the heart of contemporary life
- Everest is one in a long list of indigenous holy sites that have become commodified and sold to the wealthy. While these experiences are packaged as a chance to get closer to nature, the underlying theme is of conquest
The iconic photograph, taken by climber Nirmal Purja, showing a queue of hundreds of people waiting their turn to reach the summit of Mount Everest, took the international media by storm. The photo captures both the danger and the absurdity of so many paying so much for adventure atop the roof of the planet.
This narrative targets the usual suspects – greed, inefficiency, corruption and inexperience. Yet, if one reflects more deeply on the photograph, a different and more disturbing interpretation emerges.
This alternative narrative begins with the reminder that Everest is a holy site for millions of ethnic people who live in the high-altitude Himalayas. To the ethnic Sherpa populations, who live in the immediate vicinity of Everest, the mountain and the surrounding terrain have always symbolised the interdependence of society and nature.
While it is true that Sherpas have become a part of the Everest tragedy, it is a reluctant participation, the same sort of colonial seduction that has trapped marginalised indigenous communities around the world into positions of servitude in relation to those who control powerful political and economic forces.