Reader: It's human nature for some people to do idiotic things

Our post about the rescue of Canadian teen Samuel Frappier from Long's Peak, which he attempted to climb without the proper experience, gear or clothing, prompted strong reactions from our readers -- particularly when it came to the question of whether he should have to pay for the crews that...

By Michael Roberts

May 30, 2014

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Our post about the rescue of Canadian teen Samuel Frappier from Long's Peak, which he attempted to climb without the proper experience, gear or clothing, prompted strong reactions from our readers -- particularly when it came to the question of whether he should have to pay for the crews that saved him. But this commenter argues that a certain percentage of incidents like this one can't be prevented.

Andres DeMorin writes:

Um, if you are truly aware of how basic human nature and curiosity work, then you'd realize that people will continue to resort to seemingly insane or just plain dumb behavior, regardless of any sign posted or the existence of any emergency rescue service within the vicinity. Some asshole will still feed the bears despite the signs explicitly prohibiting it; people still drive through flooded roadways despite numerous pleas by meteorologists and public officials to avoid unnecessary travel during inclement weather; lastly, some KID will try to prove his/her bravado amongst his/her peers by attempting to climb a dangerous peak despite a glaring lack of experience. The existence of rescue teams is because they expect a rather small segment of the population to willfully ignore warnings and engage in dangerous behavior without adequate experience.

Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

For more memorable takes, visit our Comment of the Day archive.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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