Sue - I agree with most of what you say but will just note that I don't think leaving people for dead is exclusive to Everest.

In any major city in the US, millions of people walk by homeless people lying on the ground wrapped in cardboard or blankets without stopping to try to help or even seeing if the person is injured or dead. Yes, the homeless folks will probably live through the night, but it is much easier for city passersby to help them than it is for someone to drag an injured/lifeless body down from 27,000 feet. And people (myself included) make the same excuses for not helping - that the other person is in the situation they are in because of "choices" they made.

This isn't some sort of criticism of you - just an observation.