Climbing in’t Lakes…

Just spent the weekend climbing in the Lakes. We did two long routes on the Napes. A great day, no ‘faff’ and lots of sunshine.

I’m very new to climbing, so rely on kind folks like Rick to lead and make sure I don’t do anything silly (like falling off). Before I started climbing, I had thought that it would be really strenuous. In fact, it’s probably much more mental than physical- particularly on long routes, where a lot of thinking and checking is needed what with setting up belays and so on.

It’s also interesting to think about the level of risk involved. Of course an unprotected fall would be very, very serious. However, any climber worth their salt will make sure that if a fall is likely, the protection in place is rock solid. Climbing culture is full of ritual and talk about staying safe: “climb when ready!”, ‘bomber protection’ etc. So in a way, although by climbing you’re entering a risky environment, at any given point you have a lot of choice about how exposed you are to risk.

Climbers are also a great bumch to hang out with. All that time scrabbling round on crags seems to give them a very sharp sense of humour. Climbing routes have very evocative names, like one called ‘Balls like spacehoppers’.

Big thanks to Rick, Gemma and Paul for taking on a climbing newbie and giving me such a great day!

See photos on flickr!

Can you create wealth?

Many conservative thinkers talk about ‘wealth creation’ as a way of reducing poverty. I’m not so sure- to my mind, wealth is a result of distribution of resources, rather than something which is ‘created’ from nothing. I also think that poverty is a prerequisite of wealth, and vice versa.

Having said that, I recently studied (as part of my philosophy course) a good critique of economic redistribution from Robert Nozick. He makes the point that a just redistribution of wealth is not the same as an equal distribution of wealth, in his Wilt Chamberlain example.

I think that Nozick’s argument that redistributing wealth impinges on people’s rights to their ‘just entitlement’ is very compelling. It appeals to the feeling that people shouldn’t be taxed just for being wealthy. But it does rest on the assumption that the distribution of wealth was fair in the first place (!)

I’m a bit undecided on the whole tax question. I can see real value in doing things collectively (hospitals, schools, public transport…) but I also think that the state should interfere as little as possible. Perhaps that means I’m a typical voter, wanting less taxes but more services!

Food for thought

“Few people think more than two or three times a year; I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week.”

George Bernard Shaw(thanks Dad!)