Because it's there

In 1923, when a New York Times reporter asked the British mountaineer George Leigh Mallory why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, Mallory replied "Because it's there". It is quite a silly reply if you think of it. Normal conversations, if held that way, would result in disastrous consequences. For example:
Interviewer: Why did you apply for this job?
Job applicant: Because it's there.

But all said and done, I empathize with Mallory. Schoolboys climb steeples, trees, walls, water tanks, hillocks - basically everything that's taller than them - just because of this reason: because they are there. Maybe its part of our instinct. Climbing is an essential skill for survival, and a mechanism should be in place that ensures young members of the species feel like training themselves.

The other reason, of course, is the challenge. Even as children, we knew that the boy who jumps from the generator room of the community building would be an instant hero. Jumping from that room served no practical purpose, except that it was a test of raw courage. Still, as far as my memory goes, nobody attempted it. It was one of the unconquered bastions of our neighbourhood.

But there might be yet another reason why Mallory replied that way. Something that I realised after being tormented by the ubiquitous journalists of Aaj Tak and Star News on television. When they ask questions like "Your wife ran away with the milkman. How are you feeling about it?", there's not much reason to reply reasonably, is it?

Note: For schoolboys particularly, climbing is a highly revered skill. Good climbers are not only respected for their ability to pick unapproachable fruits, but also because they can retrieve balls from sunshades and water tanks. If you have a little negotiation skill thrown in as well, there are high chances that you get to bat twice in the same inning.