Adventures Without a Cause

A trend has emerged for explorers to announce their next adventure in a far-off land and raise funds for charity. Adventures are essentially selfish endeavors, admits climber Will Gadd in an essay for Explorer, who adds that connecting the two is “pretend altruism” and denial about society’s decadence. “[M]ore and more expeditions are funded by soliciting cash ‘for the cause,’ then donating whatever’s left after the trip has been paid for,” he writes. “There are even websites that help you to travel the world in the name of the charity of your choice.” Gadd blasts the practice of mixing fundraising for charity with personal expenses for grand adventures spanning the globe. Those in pursuit of global reputations can quickly turn into global fools. – YaleGlobal