[impendia]

As a research mathematician, I find seminar talks to be like someone describing a backpacking trip in the wilderness. Someone might discuss how they planned, what they saw, what obstacles they encountered and how they resolved them.

If you were listening to such a talk, you might get excited about following in their footsteps, or about going on a different hiking trip entirely. You'd learn some useful advice, gain confidence, and understand better how to cope when something went awry.

But you wouldn't mistake listening for having been on the trail yourself.

[bluGill]

I listen to talks about climbing Mt Everest knowing that I will never do so, and so that will be my only experience. I've been to other wilderness areas on my own, and so I know enough to partially relive it through their talks, pictures, videos; and I have to consider that good enough.

My Everest is not safe to climb. We make it somewhat safe for tourists on the backs of many dead or mistreated locals, a lot of litter that cannot be safely cleaned up, and a bunch of other harms that I can't remember.