There seems to be a trend in climbing/mountaineering media that glorifies total commitment. As a climber, who doesn't love commitment? That knowledge that the only way out is up and that when you make that move, there is no turning back; it raises your pulse and hits you with that shot of adrenaline you crave. But this focus is more than just the moment while climbing, its about committing to the lifestyle of climbing.
Climbing has always struck me as odd, its a rare subculture in which "the dream we all aspire to" is to be homeless, living out of a van at the crag. You can see why the media loves this: awkwardly good looking person realizes they don't fit the "traditional mold" forced on them by society so they abandon it to find freedom and follow their dream; its a perfect fairy tale. But thats all it is, a fairy tale.
We all love the butterflies in our stomach as we commit and feel every inch of air under our feet. When it comes down to it, we like that feeling, but no one wants to get hurt. Just the same way, no one actually wants to be the dirt poor totally committed climber. What they want is to be recognized as the unique and individual snowflake of a person who contributes to society with their personal art of a lifestyle, but still has enough money to hang out at coffee shops on rest days while they live out of their off road and fuel efficient RV. Its hypocrisy to want all the benefits from society without making any contribution.
The opposite of the dirtbag dreamer is the weekend warrior, not the nameless, faceless, dead-inside cog-in-the-machine worker bee drone of society. What sets the weekend warrior apart from the dirtbag dreamer? Where the dirtbag dreamer is a hypocrite living in a fantasy, the weekend warrior is rooted in reality. The weekend warrior cannot give up climbing, nor can they give up their life. The result of climbing is that it makes us feel good. The result of our careers is that it leaves our mark on the world. Along the way, it earns enough money to provide stability, to live comfortably and even to climb a fair bit.
Its easy to see the trap of society as a slippery slope: buy a car, buy a house, pay off debt, buy a bigger TV, pay taxes, repeat. die. But is the dirtbag dream really any better? In short, dirt bagging is neither sustainable nor secure. Food, lodging, and transportation cost time either in money earned or effort spent. Is it better to spend a day foraging for food or a day working and buy a weeks worth of food? The weekend warrior is a roped climber while the dirtbag dreamer is a free soloist. The weekend warrior is hindered by what he carries where the dirtbag is hindered by what he doesn't.
The trick is to walk along the ridge top and not slide down the slippery slope on either side - not the societal trap to the left nor the dirtbag illusion to the right. Plan ahead, take risks, and wander down off the ridge top. Just don't get struck in a rut. Dirtbags make for better videos, just don't confuse fantasy with reality.
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