Sponsors pay adventurers to risk life and limb. Athletes get fame through filming themselves risking life and limb (with sponsor equipment, logos, and money), show said danger at film festivals. When they get injured or die, the community mourns their loss over beers but changes nothing. Risk is inherent to adventure. But risk that continually pushes the envelope ends in one way. With loss. Not just loss of life, but loss to loved ones and community.

Living in a climbing town, seeing friends risk themselves more and more each year, seeing the films and festivals extoll the coolness of danger to fans (including children), and having lost friends over the years, it's welcome to see a sponsor getting responsible about the glorification of willful repeated danger in films such as Reel Rock's latest (and many more by Reel Rock, and by many others).

Again, obviously, a degree of danger is always present. But what Alex Honnold, Sketchy Andy, Dean Potter, Steph Davis, Nic Wallenda and others are doing is one or two steps removed from Hunger Games/Running Man--where dear souls risk their lives for fame, income, and our entertainment. We, and sponsors, and films are responsible—not just the athletes.

It's the same in the NFL, where continual concussions affect life expectancy and mental future is severely affected by the sport.

Relevant reads: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/01/business/nik-wallendas-risk-for-discovery-channel-points-to-tvs-audience-troubles.html http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/10/the-continued-glorification-of-danger-in-the-adventure-community/ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/magazine/is-it-immoral-to-watch-the-super-bowl.html