I'm probably going to be banished... (Central: friends, live, roof)

[karfar]

after I ask you guys this, & if it's been talked about before, my apologies. Have any of you read or seen "Into the Wild"? I just read & saw the movie a month ago. I know there were others before him who did what he did but since I only know of this one, that's why I'm talking about it. I'm assuming you Alaskans think this Alexander Supertramp was either nutty or very stupid, but I gotta say I have admiration for the guy. I myself have always wondered how cool it would be to hitchhike around the country, to just say goodbye to my possessions & see what would happen. I give him kudos to just get out there & do what he set out to do, no matter how unprepared he was, not many of us actually do what we dream of. What do you think?

[BudinAk]

Originally Posted by karfar

after I ask you guys this, & if it's been talked about before, my apologies. Have any of you read or seen "Into the Wild"? I just read & saw the movie a month ago. I know there were others before him who did what he did but since I only know of this one, that's why I'm talking about it. I'm assuming you Alaskans think this Alexander Supertramp was either nutty or very stupid, but I gotta say I have admiration for the guy. I myself have always wondered how cool it would be to hitchhike around the country, to just say goodbye to my possessions & see what would happen. I give him kudos to just get out there & do what he set out to do, no matter how unprepared he was, not many of us actually do what we dream of. What do you think?

I think it's great to follow your dreams, but get prepared and informed first....


Bud

[Barkingowl]

I've never seen the movie. Maybe I'll pick it up one of these days.

[Rance]

He did pretty well right up to the point of not being able to cross the river. By that point he was pretty well starved and too weak to save himself. I would have cut the roof off that bus with a hatchet, and made a boat and at least tried to go down river before I laid there and totally starved tho.
I think eating some of those plants contributed to his downfall also. Yeah he got out there and lived some dream. But in the end...was it worth it?

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

I've never seen the movie. Maybe I'll pick it up one of these days.

Don't bother. Glorifying fools is not productive...

The guy starved to death in the "wilderness"... at a place where someone had been able to drive a bus to at one time, and with a usable road only a very short distance away. There might be parts of Central Park in NYC that are equally "wilderness".

There are thousands of people in Alaska who live every day and every week with far more in the way of challenge than what that idiot confronted. They aren't so dumb as to lay down and die for nothing. And they are not likely to be glorified either, because ... well, it's just a regular part of life here.

[Glitch]

McCandles' stupidity and Hollywood's glorification of that moronic act will ensure that more people will die trying to emulate his idiocy.

[warptman]

I think the same of that dude that was eaten by a bear. Lets all hope they don't make a movie on him.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by warptman

I think the same of that dude that was eaten by a bear.

I believe you are referring to Timothy Treadwell, and I agree. The REAL tradegy in that incident was that he got his girlfriend killed in the process of his stupidity. I don't have a problem with idiots hell-bent on suicide, as long as they don't take others with them.

[karfar]

Are you guys talking about that movie "Grizzly Man"? I didn't see it, but I thought it was pretty foolish for the guy to pretend to be friends w/bears. Yeah, it'd be pretty cool to be able to think that you're relating to a wild animal, but again, it's a wild animal w/pretty large claws & teeth. I figured you all wouldn't appreciate the Alexander Supertramp story, I just thought I'd mention it.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by Glitch

I believe you are referring to Timothy Treadwell, and I agree. The REAL tradegy in that incident was that he got his girlfriend killed in the process of his stupidity. I don't have a problem with idiots hell-bent on suicide, as long as they don't take others with them.

I hate to sound all john bad-a$$, but Treadwell's girfriend was a grown woman who suffered the consequences of her OWN choices and free will. She had an opportunity to leave while the bear was chomping on Tim. He TOLD her to. She opted not to. I know: then the question becomes "if a friend or loved one were being chomped on by a bear, would I try to save him/her or myself?" I don't know. What I do know is that she wasn't a victim. Tragic, yes. Stupid, probably. But he didn't get her killed.