Into the Wild

So I've been "obsessed" of late with the story of Chris McCandless.  I read the book last summer and just saw the movie this past week.  There are lots of ways to describe him and his journey and eventual death in Alaska.  But what grabs my attention is always his outlook and approach to life.  His desire to live with nothing but what he can carry on his back, his rejection of material wealth as a measure of a man, his gospel of simplicity  I can resonate with.  His attitude towards society, his parents, and its irrelevancy not so much.  There are times when he wants to get down to the raw basics of what man is capable of in his relationship with nature.  Times where he is so singular in his outlook on life:  to live as freely in the midst of nature as possible.  But it leaves me with so many questions as well:  how simple is too simple?   what keeps me from experiences like his?  was his approach neglegent or was he living in the truth of his outlook on life?  was he rash?  how far into the wild can I go and should I do it reasonably or toss it all off in favor of the true raw nature of it?  For those who haven't seen it or read the book (and I highly recommend both), it's one of the pieces of work that leaves you thinking about what we are capable of on so many levels.  So for the next few weeks I'll be quite pensive.

Comments

[Richard]

Having not read the book, I bought the movie. I found for the first half of the movie I didn't like him and his interaction with his parents, who he had issues with (and not really alluded to until midway), but more painfully with his sister and the cruelness of him not even staying in touch with her and he seemed to love her. There was a selfishness to him I found unappealing.

I did have admiration for the initiative to live as basically and simply as possible, fending of the land. It didn't strike me that he had the most ominious weather I would imagine for Alaska. I don't remember a real snow storm. There was the bear that just walked by him.

I guess as a youth one looks for what they want to do for themselves and as we grow, at least for me, it's what we can do for others and make this a better world. I'm just not doing very good at it.

And, remember, roughing it for me is a hotel without a remote control.

Bon Voyage on your great adventure north. Hope we'll get together some time after you get back and share your experiences.

Remember, freedom's just another work for nothing less to lose.

Love,
Richard