> Are the Sherpas better off with the climbers? Perhaps. It's hard to say, because while climbing brings a lot of money, the Sherpas might have moved to cities, to India, or even to America if that opportunity hadn't materialized. Maybe they would have developed some marketable crafts or products? Who knows. Everest is their resource curse.
Sherpas have way, way more access to America than they would if climbing did not draw so many wealthy Americans to Nepal. In the rural American area I'm from Nepalese restaurants (run by Sherpas) are behind only Mexican and maybe Chinese as far as ethnic restaurants, and all because of connections made with climbers.
Some Americans also become interested in the parts of Nepal that don't involve deadly risk and in the Nepalese people. There are architects that take trips to Nepal on their own dime just to volunteer to help improve how buildings are built, engineers that work on better and cheaper stoves, etc.
There are obvious downsides, but there are also upsides.
Sherpas have way, way more access to America than they would if climbing did not draw so many wealthy Americans to Nepal. In the rural American area I'm from Nepalese restaurants (run by Sherpas) are behind only Mexican and maybe Chinese as far as ethnic restaurants, and all because of connections made with climbers.
Some Americans also become interested in the parts of Nepal that don't involve deadly risk and in the Nepalese people. There are architects that take trips to Nepal on their own dime just to volunteer to help improve how buildings are built, engineers that work on better and cheaper stoves, etc.
There are obvious downsides, but there are also upsides.