Astoriadave
Paddler
Craig,
I'm a longtime chemist, with a lot of experience dealing with dangerous, toxic chemicals. Stuff way off the map of what any normal human being can purchase. Maybe 20 years of time doing organic synthesis. Let me try to "relate" Treadwell's odyssey in the terms of my profession:
Imagine that I decide to investigate the properties and uses of a class of known dangerous chemicals, interesting to others, but poorly understood. And, flying in the face of all my training and the training and experience of others in my profession, I "choose" to explore this class of materials without the protection of a fume hood, face shield or respirator, because I "have confidence" in my ability to "understand" these chemicals.
On day 750 of this endeavor, having amassed a huge pile of information about this class of chemicals, I get gassed with an acutely toxic whiff of one of them and die, slowly, in pain, taking my lovely lab assistant with me, who was adhered to my side, enraptured in my brilliance, until that last millisecond when she realized death was hers, also.
My colleagues would respect the data I collected, and would probably use it, also.
But, each one of them would be shaking his/her head, muttering, "Dumb old Dave, good chemist, but a real dumbass failing to take reasonable precautions to protect himself ... and a real ass for endangering Viola, as well."
That is how I see Treadwell. OK, maybe he gathered some information about grizzlies of value to others ... but at a very unreasonable cost, to him and to his girl friend. In my mind, that makes him a "nutbar," in Ken B's parlance. Treadwell's example should not be admired, in the same way mine should not be admired, if I had practiced as a chemist as he did a wildlife protector and student.
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BTW, I still have all my fingers, toes, eyes, and senses ... some of which I would definitely have lost if I had not taken reasonable precautions over those 20 years of organic synthesis ... stuff I thought was "safe" blew up, caught fire, and produced noxious/poisonous fumes. But, I was protecting myself so I did not get hurt or killed. In addition, I trained several generations of chemist-wannabees in the same tradition. Treadwell could have practiced as a careful chemist does, to leave a much more powerful legacy ... and a live girl friend.
I'm a longtime chemist, with a lot of experience dealing with dangerous, toxic chemicals. Stuff way off the map of what any normal human being can purchase. Maybe 20 years of time doing organic synthesis. Let me try to "relate" Treadwell's odyssey in the terms of my profession:
Imagine that I decide to investigate the properties and uses of a class of known dangerous chemicals, interesting to others, but poorly understood. And, flying in the face of all my training and the training and experience of others in my profession, I "choose" to explore this class of materials without the protection of a fume hood, face shield or respirator, because I "have confidence" in my ability to "understand" these chemicals.
On day 750 of this endeavor, having amassed a huge pile of information about this class of chemicals, I get gassed with an acutely toxic whiff of one of them and die, slowly, in pain, taking my lovely lab assistant with me, who was adhered to my side, enraptured in my brilliance, until that last millisecond when she realized death was hers, also.
My colleagues would respect the data I collected, and would probably use it, also.
But, each one of them would be shaking his/her head, muttering, "Dumb old Dave, good chemist, but a real dumbass failing to take reasonable precautions to protect himself ... and a real ass for endangering Viola, as well."
That is how I see Treadwell. OK, maybe he gathered some information about grizzlies of value to others ... but at a very unreasonable cost, to him and to his girl friend. In my mind, that makes him a "nutbar," in Ken B's parlance. Treadwell's example should not be admired, in the same way mine should not be admired, if I had practiced as a chemist as he did a wildlife protector and student.
--------
BTW, I still have all my fingers, toes, eyes, and senses ... some of which I would definitely have lost if I had not taken reasonable precautions over those 20 years of organic synthesis ... stuff I thought was "safe" blew up, caught fire, and produced noxious/poisonous fumes. But, I was protecting myself so I did not get hurt or killed. In addition, I trained several generations of chemist-wannabees in the same tradition. Treadwell could have practiced as a careful chemist does, to leave a much more powerful legacy ... and a live girl friend.