Why does Eisuke Shigekawa say that he and Hiroshi Hanada did not stop to help the Ladakhis?

Why does Eisuke Shigekawa say that he and Hiroshi Hanada did not stop to help the Ladakhis?

• A. They were tired and they seemed dangerous, and they couldn't afford morality
• B. They did not see them
• C. They were forbidden by rules
• D. They were running out of oxygen

Answer: (A)

The situation tests how climbers weigh helping others against their own safety when resources are limited. Shigekawa’s remark shows that, in the extreme conditions of high altitude, fatigue and real danger can push people to prioritize their own survival and mission over stopping to assist someone else. They were exhausted, the environment looked dangerous, and taking time to help could waste precious oxygen and heighten the risk of a worse outcome. Saying they “couldn’t afford morality” captures this tough practicality: the immediate threat to their own safety outweighed the moral urge to stop. It isn’t that they didn’t see the Ladakhis, or that there were formal rules forbidding aid. And while running out of oxygen could be a factor, the point is broader: the combination of fatigue, danger, and scarce resources made stopping seem unwise in that moment.

The situation tests how climbers weigh helping others against their own safety when resources are limited. Shigekawa’s remark shows that, in the extreme conditions of high altitude, fatigue and real danger can push people to prioritize their own survival and mission over stopping to assist someone else. They were exhausted, the environment looked dangerous, and taking time to help could waste precious oxygen and heighten the risk of a worse outcome. Saying they “couldn’t afford morality” captures this tough practicality: the immediate threat to their own safety outweighed the moral urge to stop.

It isn’t that they didn’t see the Ladakhis, or that there were formal rules forbidding aid. And while running out of oxygen could be a factor, the point is broader: the combination of fatigue, danger, and scarce resources made stopping seem unwise in that moment.