You’ll have heard of the Rorschach Test of course, in which blots of ink apparently reveal your innermost thoughts. Well, I’d like to propose a new challenge called the Rockall Test because it, too, can tell us quite a lot about ourselves. Not all of it good.

The test is inspired by Chris Cameron, the Scot who’s had to abandon his attempt to break the record for the longest solo stay on Rockall, but more specifically it’s inspired by the reactions to him. Some people see a great adventurer and an inspiration, others a reckless fool who’s had to be winched off the rock early.

Let me give you a few examples of the second type of reaction (on Twitter, naturally). “Can someone tell me how much it cost to send a helicopter to rescue this chap?” “Do these old rich bastards get charged for wasting the coastguard's time?” “Surely this kind of escapade is irresponsible?” Others just went for one-word descriptions: narcissist, p****, and so on. Many called for Mr Cameron to be charged for the cost of the rescue.

We saw something similar, didn’t we, with the men who went down in the Titanic sub: the idea that risky adventures are irresponsible, expensive, unnecessary and usually the preserve of rich, selfish men. It’s a reaction that manages to be classist, sexist and narrow-minded all at the same time. And wrong of course.

I should say at this point that there’s part of me that doesn’t get these guys. I have friends who do dangerous rock-climbing. A colleague of mine was killed on the mountains. I’ve also interviewed explorers and adventurers, including Sir Chris Bonnington and Mark Beaumont, who cycled from Alaska to Argentina. But even though I’ve spoken to these people, I don’t feel like I’ve ever got to the bottom of why they do what they do.

However, the point is I don’t need to because they want to do it and need to. Sir Chris told me that what motivated him was the combination of the risk and the fact he was stretching the limits of what he could do. Mark said something similar: he went through some dangerous and dark times during his cycle, but his mentality was that he wasn’t going to give up. And he didn’t.

So is it selfish? If pursuing what fulfils you is selfish, then yes. The idea that it’s all about rich men indulging themselves is also misleading: rock climbing in particular is exactly the opposite and has its roots in Scottish working-class guys who wanted to get out into the hills. As Rockall Man demonstrates, adventurers are also often motivated by a cause (in his case, army veterans).

Which pretty much explains how I would fare in the Rockall Test. But what about you? Are you one of those calling for the cost of his rescue to be recouped from Mr Cameron? And why do people who think this way always have the words “liberal” or “be kind” in their Twitter profiles? Is it kind, or liberal, to seek to control or restrain what other people enjoy? And is it relevant how rich or poor they are? Would these people like to see a means test on public services: if you’re rich you don’t have the right to be rescued? Or would they go further and suggest rich people shouldn’t have the right to pursue an adventure in the first place?

In a way, I suppose the problem here is that I’m trying to understand two mysterious groups: the adventurers and the people (usually on the left) who criticise them. I remember Mark telling me about the kind of dangers he faced on his trip: blizzards, bears, fires, and prolonged periods without food and I do not understand it. But I’m also looking at some of those critical tweets about Rockall Man and I do not understand them either.

I guess the important point is that, whether you fully understand it or not, one group represents something positive and extraordinary and the other something negative and reductive (and anti-fun?) The Rockall Test also reveals something specific about how some (not very kind) people see the world and I would say this to them. If you do find yourself looking at the likes of Mr Cameron and moaning about it, I’d say you’ve failed the Rockall Test. I would also suggest you listen to the wise words of Captain James T Kirk: go climb a rock.