Adaptations to circumstances of Mallory's famous reply as to why he wanted to climb Everest -- "Because it's there" -- will, I think, go some way to answering many points as to motivation raised above.

As to the £20,000 headphones which so shocked Eliza: agreed. But where is a line to be drawn, & by whom, in permissible acquisitiveness and its satisfaction by suppliers? I have no answer to suggest; and perhaps this should be topic of its own thread... But we all, it is surely a truism to repeat, own the moral equivalent of diamond-encrusted headphones in comparison with what is owned by some in the 3rd World, don't we? I mean, just look at the WP or computer you are reading this on; and the nice room you are doing so in...!

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