Fireside Chat with Alex Honnold - TractionForce 2019

Alex Honnold (professional rock climber and star of the Academy Award-winning documentary Free Solo), Greg Malpass (Founder and CEO of Traction on Demand), Dory Trimble (Executive Director of the Honnold Foundation) and Michelle Malpass (Director of Community Engagement at Traction on Demand) explore the Collective Why at TractionForce 2019.

[@duckydrummer6331]

I've been beinge watching anything Alex.

[@VaibhavSharma-yu3ys]

Me too!!!

[@wreckim]

After watching a few vids of Alex Honold, and his movie, what he does with his time and how he cares about others, my wife said: "Some people are just awesome." She has never said that before about anyone in the 25 years I've known her. He is.

[@aceqbaceq777]

your wife is just awesome. she is..

[@coachtim6188]

She doesn't think you're just awesome?

[@wreckim]

@@coachtim6188 Well coach, she's never said it. But she did bring me back to full health after battling a nasty liver abscess three years ago. Normally I bring home about $8k a month, and I had a month where that was doubled late last year. She said nothing. Ironically, I think she'd make a good Solo climber--at least mentally.

[@coachtim6188]

@@wreckim Well man I'm sorry. That's one thing that's just so important to me I guess is why I said something. Doesn't matter much to some. Course it's my number 1 love language of the 5, words of affirmation. But some people legitimately struggle with affirming others and the marriage still works out fine.

[@gumbygang8033]

Very well done. Alex always speaks from the heart. He isn't trying to be anything. Its great.

[@dakiblabla]

Alex still has one interview shirt :)

[@aaronazagoth6373]

The world is better with Alex in it!

[@lukasnichols741]

The most rad thing about him above climbing is his persona, demeanor. Letting others speak, completely humble. How?

[@SoCloseICanTasteIt]

I am new to watching Alex, although I saw Free Solo when it came out. I am a 58 year old non athletic female….we have very little in common….and I don’t aspire to a life like his. So why am I so drawn to him? The way he speaks…..he is so unconsciously unselfconscious. He truly believes that we can all accomplish what he has just by putting in the work. It’s so delightfully unrealistic! But it seems in his core he believes that and it’s endearing. Also…he is such a great story teller. When he was talking about making the mental shift to being able to climb El Cap and said he looked at the wall in contemplation and said “I am 100% not doing that” I laughed out loud. I will watch anything with Alex in it.

[@lindatobin4770]

Wow ... what an amazing human ! Alex Is so awesome. He makes my heart happy ❤️❤️❤️

[@sekekeretsu4172]

The fake fire on stage 😀

[@muthukumaranl]

Excellent interview.....kept me engrossed in their conversation..good one!

[@apaarsadhwani]

Exactly! Alex is of course awesome, but I felt like the interviewer also did a fantastic job to ask all him all these unique questions!

[@muthukumaranl]

@@apaarsadhwani Yep!

[@michaelhanford8139]

Lol Alex, 'how can anyone live barefoot here?!' Local kids, 'how can he climb that cliff with no ropes?!'

[@philippa5101]

This was a very interesting. The interviewer did well.

[@f_youtubecensorshipf_nazis]

My parents did the same and I ended up with a crazy person and wasting decades of my life. It can go either way.

[@coachtim6188]

Yes it can, 100% based on the decisions we make.

[@ReddooryogaSH]

Re mosquito nets: it's true that they don't have 100% use as mosquito nets. But the number is something like 90% (being used as intended). If 90% of your nets are being used, they're still a very inexpensive way to both improve and save lives. 80,000 hours had a good episode about malaria prevention measures recently. Here's a bit from the transcript on the fishing net issue: " In the issue of misuse of nets, we’ve got to keep in mind that malaria is a consequence of poverty, and malaria can contribute to inequities. Let’s appreciate that some of these households are really poor, and even the notion that they are actually using these nets for fishing or over their gardens is a sign of the poverty that some of these households are experiencing. I think it is overstated, because even in those households, what we know from all the evidence is that the access to nets is an important driver of use - and so by ensuring this access, you’re actually facilitating the use of them.

[@jaaacccckK]

33:03

[@ViktorVonGhoulie]

I love Alex but wow is that a shitty fake fire

[@sparkytoday8455]

What’s that piece of paper flapping in the wind? Very distracting. Thanks for being so inspiring, Alex.

[@cwoodside907]

It's a state prop blown by a fan to imitate a fire. Pretty lame....

[@19RaxR91]

24:17 - 24:45 While the idea of leveling the playing field might sound fair, its not feasible because of there being Other factors than just where and to whom you are born to. You might change the environment, or help the people by providing them with food and the newest technologies, but If you dont educate them (which in itself is impossible if the people in question are not interested to be educated) then it is almost impossible for them to advance as a potential part of the "civilized" society. Not to mention, we Already have a problem with educating ourselves, since a lot of children have lost interest in discovering something new, that is actually valuable - except for arts, or at the very least some sort of creative expressions...

[@charliemike13]

CisforCock under rated comment. I especially like your point about educating ourselves. I have no desires of becoming famous or well known through art, however, I still love to create in different ways when I can. Wether it’s making my own camping knife just the way I want it to be or deciding to paint or write...

[@19RaxR91]

@@charliemike13 Thank you, much appreciated!

[@davebruneau6068]

Hard to take anything written by someone who thought CisforCock was the perfect handle for a public forum, seriously. Couldnt care less of your opinions after that thought.

[@19RaxR91]

@@davebruneau6068 sooo instead you felt the need to waste your time by expressing how much you dont care... fair enough.

[@daniellopez2239]

How is this guy a CEO with this bullshit - Alex

[@FullMetalPJs]

Not even a fire.

[@jamesgillespy4178]

really?

[@Russeljfinch]

Alex seems close to the spectrum

[@wombra8314]

the windsock is so lame and annoying 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@michaelhanford8139]

At the intro, you can see Alex looking @ it. I wonder if he was thinking the same.😂

[@kingjosephrbidenjriii5820]

Alex is a great climber and a well intentioned person, but wildly misled about the importance of schools. They teach the theory of evolution as a fact. Now they're teaching infinite genders. Some subjects have value but teachers aren't required. After all, those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

[@Jessetheoutdoorman]

Alex is great, but the tacky "fire" is very distracting.

[@ReaIJohnDoe]

After hearing Alex talk alot about his relationship with his parents it becomes very evident that he holds quite a bit of resentment towards his mother, and it is not that evident that it is deserved to be honest. It appears to stem from the death of his father and his mother receives the brunt of all that upset within him. You need to listen to him discuss it quite alot, more than a few interviews to see that there is a real resentment there.

[@philmtb121]

Perhaps its not resentment.. Unlike most people he is just being openly honest. Saying it as it is rather than skirting around the edges. If others thought similar, but said nothing, they would likely be in a space of resentment.

[@MinecraftEAT]

Alex has a good relationship with his mother, from all that I've seen. If he held resentment that was so open that a random dude on youtube could deduce it, would that not in itself cause strain on their relationship? Alex is very honest and open in his thoughts and it is extremely out of character for him to resent anyone. He seems to have a pretty firm belief that most people are just doing their best given their situation and doesn't begrudge people for not being as extremely motivated and focused as he is. I highly, highly doubt that he resents his mother to any meaningful extent.

[@davidk7575]

lol, resentment? I think it's an honest assessment.

[@littleremedies514]

M Hughes Maybe his relationship with his mother is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. The guy is a rock climber. That's PUBLIC information. Just because he is a public person as a ROCK CLIMBER does not make his entire life from childhood on, intimate relationships with family, does NOT MAKE IT PUBLIC BUSINESS, including YOUR NOSENESS ABOUT HIS MOTHER.😒🤪

[@lwhite2152]

What are you even talking about? Alex is very close to his mother and they have a good relationship.