Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer. CNN is showcasing the work of The Conversation , a collaboration between journalists and academics to provide news analysis and commentary. The content is produced solely by The Conversation. CNN  —  It was May 4, 1975. The Japanese Women’s Everest Expedition team had been living at a high altitude for six weeks, and were less than a week away from their scheduled bid for the summit of Mount Everest. Exhausted,