Do you do dangerous or highly unpleasant activities just for bragging rights?

[unicorn]

My sister was in town, so we had dinner with her and her daughter and discussed, among other things, our upcoming travels. My husband and I mentioned that we're taking a cruise to Antarctica in a few months, and my sister mentioned that she was dunked in the Southern Ocean, where the freezing temperature of the ocean water is -2C, and she mentioned that she'd also done so in the Arctic Ocean at a similar freezing temperature. We both chimed in that we were quite certain we wouldn't partake in such an adventure. I've always thought that such activities were foolish (in fact, I'm surprised that it seems no one has suffered a medical calamity while doing such activities). I've also always thought it ridiculous that people risk their lives and suffer extreme hardship just so they can say they climbed Mount Everest (or similar). 

I feel somewhat less strongly about challenges which are simply very painful and challenging, but at least not very life-threatening. We're friends with a married couple, one 28 and the other 39, for example, who've recently climbed Mount Whitney (in June) and trekked to Everest Base Camp about a month ago. After the first climb, one could barely walk for 1 week, and the other for 2 weeks. They described the trek as beautiful, but fairly miserable, with both having explosive diarrhea for a couple of days. I followed their journeys on social media, and expressed admiration for their tenacity. I must admit, I'd love to make it to the summit of Mount Whitney, but would only do so if it were possible to get up there on the back of a mule. 

If I'm to undergo a difficult challenge, there has to be a limit to the degree of discomfort, as well as a high reward. The most arduous things I've done are a climb up Fuji-San, and the hike to Waterwheel Falls and LeConte Falls in Yosemite. I would say that the scenery was worth it, especially the Yosemite scenery, although if there had been a cog railway or funicular to those falls, I'd have chosen those (those options are much more likely in the Alps than in US National Parks). 

Waterwheel Falls:

LeConte Falls:

So will you undergo hardship to experience unique views? How about just for bragging rights?

[PeterRS]

2 hours ago, unicorn said:

So will you undergo hardship to experience unique views? How about just for bragging rights?

To experience unique views; definitely. For bragging rights; No.

[vinapu]

one of most idiotic things I did in my fairly long life was overnight trek to top of the mountain to see sunrise from there. I repeated the feast on Bali climbing Batur volcano but that was more for climb than stupid sunrise. So to answer OP question, yes I would but if it were too hard I wouldn't mind to stop and return skipping that unique view - I did it on Kilimanjaro . As for bragging rights , that's easy. Most of my closest friends and family members  don't know even half places I went to . I may be sinner but bragging is sin I'm free of. 

[Keithambrose]

 

 

Most of my closest friends and family members  don't know even half places I went to . I may be sinner but bragging is sin I'm free of. 

 

Are you  thinking of Olddaddy?

[vinapu]

8 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

are you  thinking of Olddaddy?

no, I was referring to thread's original tittle

[joizy]

On 9/3/2025 at 3:46 AM, unicorn said:

So will you undergo hardship to experience unique views? How about just for bragging rights?

 

Beautiful photos.

I don’t know if people do these things for bragging rights. I think a more likely motivation nowadays is so they can post it on Instagram, so maybe that is a form of bragging. I have found that people aren’t really interested in some of the more amazing things I’ve done. And the things where I experienced hardship were not for any bragging rights (or even to post on social media because I did them before it existed), but because I was not aware that I could say no when a guide suggested I climb a mountain in the heat and humidity of the Cambodian jungle to see lingam (whatever that is), or that I climb a mountain in Tepoztlan, Mexico to see a graffiti-covered temple. I’ve had many painful experiences and now, thanks to my age, I can simply say “no thank you” when someone suggests I climb something. Though I must say, one of the more amazing things I have done, which wasn’t terribly difficult, was to climb to the top of Borobudur to see the sun rise on my birthday. I’m not bragging though.

[Keithambrose]

6 hours ago, joizy said:

Beautiful photos.

I don’t know if people do these things for bragging rights. I think a more likely motivation nowadays is so they can post it on Instagram, so maybe that is a form of bragging. I have found that people aren’t really interested in some of the more amazing things I’ve done. And the things where I experienced hardship were not for any bragging rights (or even to post on social media because I did them before it existed), but because I was not aware that I could say no when a guide suggested I climb a mountain in the heat and humidity of the Cambodian jungle to see lingam (whatever that is), or that I climb a mountain in Tepoztlan, Mexico to see a graffiti-covered temple. I’ve had many painful experiences and now, thanks to my age, I can simply say “no thank you” when someone suggests I climb something. Though I must say, one of the more amazing things I have done, which wasn’t terribly difficult, was to climb to the top of Borobudur to see the sun rise on my birthday. I’m not bragging though.

 

 

 l have found that people aren’t really interested in some of the more amazing things I’ve done. 

 

That's  a surprise!

 

 

[PeterRS]

9 hours ago, joizy said:

I don’t know if people do these things for bragging rights. I think a more likely motivation nowadays is so they can post it on Instagram, so maybe that is a form of bragging. I have found that people aren’t really interested in some of the more amazing things I’ve done. 

Since getting my first digital camera, I have taken many thousands of photos of all the places I have visited. I did not join any social media and so I just selected a few pics each time and sent them to family and a very few friends i knew would be interested. Emails though last a few weeks before being forgotten. So in 2018  I used one of the on-line pubishing sites and put together a hardback album of photographs from 35 cities, countries and continents along with a few descriptions and what I particularly liked about them. I had only 20 printed and sent these out as gifts. They seem to have proved of much greater interest to the recipients. About half the time I visit those who received them, the books are sitting on the coffee table!