Philosophy for Polar Explorers

Though it's been a while, I distinctly remember the first time I watched the movie "The Truman Show". I was 9 years old and my family lived in a small town on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. There was a local library that belonged to a small university that would allow us to go in and watch movies. We would trade our library cards at the counter for a VHS tape or DVD and some wired headphones. We'd then take them over to a small 12 inch TV screen at a desk and watch the movie on the hardwood chairs. It was on one of these occassions that my brother and I watched "The Truman Show". At one point in the movie, a young Truman explains how he wants to be an explorer to which other characters quickly shoot down the idea exclaiming "well, you're too late, the world has already all been explored". Even though it was such a small part of the movie, I still remember symapthizing with Truman. I too had a dream of seeing the world and exploring places that had never been visited before! But alas, all had been explored. I had seen countless globes and maps that encompassed the entire world. There was nothing left to explore... And even if I did explore, would it really be true exploration? If we have maps, is it exploring or just travelling?

The reason I share this is because I have always been curious what it would be like to truly explore the unknown. That feeling of wander about the world has never left me, but has only been surpressed by this idea that I have conjured in my head that explorers don't exist in the modern world.

Philosophy for Polar Explorers changed this false notion I had. Kagge is proof that real explorers exist in the modern world. I was deeply moved by the insights he shared into his own journeys and the lessons he learned along the way. I came out with a new, more mature perspective on bravery and courage. At one point in the book Kagge poses the question on who is more courageous — someone that hikes Everest, reaching the peak but surpassing their abilities and eventually losing their life on the descent, or, someone who realizes they can't do it with only 10 meters to go and turns back to stare in the face of defeat and embarrassment.

At points in my life, I'm ashamed to say I might have said the former was a greater act of courage. However, I've come to the conclusion that the latter is far more brave than the first. And beyond courage, it's the most valiant thing given consideration for the lives of loved ones and future posterity. Transgressing personal ambition and selfish desires is a trait of individuals with real valor, but sadly these are the very individuals to often be overlooked or dismissed by society and culture.

No one can go wrong by reading this book. It's an important reminder of the immense blessing of living on the earth. I hope that anyone reading it will achieve the same feelings of stillness and gratitude as I did.