How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
Four of my teammates died not so much because Rob Hall's systems were faulty […] but because on Everest it is the nature of systems to break down with a vengeance. (21.34)
This is a perfect illustration of Murphy's Law, which states that "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." As the Everest climbing industry expanded from a tiny operation to an internationally funded business endeavor, it became inevitable that these complex systems would eventually break down. Given that human lives are involved, that breakdown comes with immense consequences.