--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you’re climbing up a rock face, your…" description: "\"“When you’re climbing up a rock face, your hands are not more than a few inches from your eyes, but when you’re coming down, your feet are never less t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/291/jeffrey-archer-3397_far-side_when-you-re-climbing-up-a-rock-face-your_103094.png" --- # When you’re climbing up a rock face, your hands are not… ![“When you’re climbing up a rock face, your hands are not more than a few inches from your eyes, but when you’re coming down, your feet are never less than five feet below you, which means that when you look down you’ve far more chance of losing your balance. Got the idea?’ George laughed. ‘Ignore…” quote by Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/291/jeffrey-archer-3397_far-side_when-you-re-climbing-up-a-rock-face-your_103094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/291/jeffrey-archer-3397_far-side_when-you-re-climbing-up-a-rock-face-your_103094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/291/jeffrey-archer-3397_far-side_when-you-re-climbing-up-a-rock-face-your_103094.png) > ““When you’re climbing up a rock face, your hands are not more than a few inches from your eyes, but when you’re coming down, your feet are never less than five feet below you, which means that when you look down you’ve far more chance of losing your balance. Got the idea?’ George laughed. ‘Ignore my friend,’ he said. ‘And not just because he’s a hide-bound Tory, but he’s also a lackey of the capitalist system.’ ‘True enough,’ said Guy without shame. ‘So what clubs have you signed up for?’ asked Brooke, turning his attention to Guy. ‘Apart from cricket, the Union, the Disraeli Society and the Officers’ Training Corps,’ replied Guy. ‘Good heavens,’ said Brooke. ‘Is there no hope for the man?’ ‘None whatsoever,’ admitted Guy. Turning to George, he added, ‘But at least I’ve found what you’ve been looking for, so the time has come for you to follow me.’ George raised his mortar board to Brooke, who returned the compliment. Guy led the way to the next row of stalls, where he pointed triumphantly at a white awning that read CUMC, founded 1904. George slapped his friend on the back. He began to study a display of photographs showing past and present undergraduates standing on the Great St Bernard Pass, and on the summits of Mont Vélan and Monte Rosa. Another board on the far side of the table displayed a large photograph of Mont Blanc, on which was written the words Join us in Italy next year if you want”” [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage juxtaposes physical climbing with social hierarchies, suggesting that perspective shifts (looking down vs. up) affect balance, and that political affiliations can obscure clarity. **In simple terms:** Perspective changes balance; politics can cloud judgment. Key Takeaway How you view a situation influences stability. Themes perspective balance politics social dynamics Mood analytical wry Type satirical narrative When to use this quote - team leadership - political debate - mountaineering safety Key Concepts cognitive bias power structures Practical Applications - practice viewpoint switching - critically assess group affiliations Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt a shift in perspective altered your stability? - How do affiliations affect your judgment? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex social realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Past and present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-and-present/) ## Related quotes > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“You got no choice, girl. Don’t think ya do. 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You will now hear a statement from the Prime Minister.” “I am speaking to you from the Cabinet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/this-is-the-bbc-in-london-you-will-now-hear-a-statement-from-the/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) [Explore all 128 Jeffrey Archer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) ## More Far side quotes > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“My advice is, the next time you see someone you think you need to rescue, walk quickly away on the far side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-moon/my-advice-is-the-next-time-you-see-someone-you-think-you-need-to/) [Elizabeth Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-moon/) > [“Human wisdom has advanced to the point where man can construct satellites. 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They are journeys you can make to the far side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/short-stories-are-tiny-windows-into-other-worlds-and-other-minds-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Principles are the simplicity on the far side of complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/principles-are-the-simplicity-on-the-far-side-of-complexity/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“If you understand what holiness is, you come to see that real happiness is on the far side of holiness, not the near side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-understand-what-holiness-is-you-come-to-see-that-real/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Having reached the summit of his vengeance by the slow and tortuous route that he had followed, he had looked over the far side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/having-reached-the-summit-of-his-vengeance-by-the-slow-and-tortuous/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Blue water extends in rows of gentle ripples to a thin line of barely visible cottonwoods on the far side. 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Don’t think ya do. He’s not treatin’ ya too bad right now, but as God is my witness, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/you-got-no-choice-girl-don-t-think-ya-do-he-s-not-treatin-ya-too-bad/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [“ In ancient times, the Gorgon Medusa lived on the far side of Oceanus in the land of Night. She was an awesome dragonlike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-ewing/in-ancient-times-the-gorgon-medusa-lived-on-the-far-side-of-oceanus/) [Lynne Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-ewing/) Browse all 135 Far side quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When you’re climbing up a rock face, your hands are not more than a few inches from your eyes, but when you’re coming down, your feet are never less than five feet below you, which means that when you look down you’ve far more chance of losing your balance. Got the idea?’ George laughed. ‘Ignore my friend,’ he said. ‘And not just because he’s a hide-bound Tory, but he’s also a lackey of the capitalist system.’ ‘True enough,’ said Guy without shame. ‘So what clubs have you signed up for?’ asked Brooke, turning his attention to Guy. ‘Apart from cricket, the Union, the Disraeli Society and the Officers’ Training Corps,’ replied Guy. ‘Good heavens,’ said Brooke. ‘Is there no hope for the man?’ ‘None whatsoever,’ admitted Guy. Turning to George, he added, ‘But at least I’ve found what you’ve been looking for, so the time has come for you to follow me.’ George raised his mortar board to Brooke, who returned the compliment. Guy led the way to the next row of stalls, where he pointed triumphantly at a white awning that read CUMC, founded 1904. George slapped his friend on the back. He began to study a display of photographs showing past and present undergraduates standing on the Great St Bernard Pass, and on the summits of Mont Vélan and Monte Rosa. 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