Another person takes a trip "into the wild" bus (Talkeetna: credit, to buy)

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by tigre79

And if nobody wanted to explore the world and take risks we may have survived as a species but we sure wouldn't have done much. The balance of risk-taking and actual skills wasn't there, but the kid had heart and that's something at least. He seemed to be a spoiled, book-smart kid, maybe with some mental or emotional problems, who thought he could handle the real world a lot better than he could. So he was smart in some areas and stupid in others, like a lot of people.

In other words, the kid was stupid and unprepared (not trained to survive). Exploring takes preparation, and survival does too.

[tigre79]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Exploring takes preparation, and so survival.

It also requires the nerve to get off the damn couch, which way too many people in this country don't seem to have. I'm not arguing that he had any idea what he was doing, but he took a shot at it and failed pretty spectacularly. I'm just not sure that's so much worse than all the people who never try, and the way some people vilify him seems almost as strange to me as the people who make him out to be some sort of hero. He was just a kid who didn't even know how much he didn't know, and he paid the price for it.

[NikkiV]

Originally Posted by Glitch

That would deprive Alaskans from good paying rescue jobs. It is better off where it is, on the road system, and let these deluded idiots think they are part of the Alaskan "wilderness." Like I said, the bus serves as a moron magnet. Surely you would not wish upon any town or city in Alaska an over-abundance of lesser-48 morons, would you?

Other than AST and The Park Service, all other rescue organizations in the area are volunteer.

So not a whole lot of people getting paid.

Nikki

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by NikkiV

Other than AST and The Park Service, all other rescue organizations in the area are volunteer.

So not a whole lot of people getting paid.

Nikki

Even the NPS and Troopers helicopters are expensive to fly!

Air National Guard does a lot as well by Helicopter, which is thousands of dollars an hour for flight time.

The Civil Air Patrol flies a lot of missions as well with volunteer pilots, but still pays for their fuel, and when you have a dozen planes looking for someone, that is a lot of fuel.

[NikkiV]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Even the NPS and Troopers helicopters are expensive to fly!

Air National Guard does a lot as well by Helicopter, which is thousands of dollars an hour for flight time.

The Civil Air Patrol flies a lot of missions as well with volunteer pilots, but still pays for their fuel, and when you have a dozen planes looking for someone, that is a lot of fuel.

No argument there. Just pointing out to Glitch that there aren't a ton of paid rescue workers here.

Not saying the rescues aren't expensive, not by a long shot.

Nikki

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by NikkiV

No argument there. Just pointing out to Glitch that there aren't a ton of paid rescue workers here.

Not saying the rescues aren't expensive, not by a long shot.

Nikki

There are a lot of people in the rescue business in Alaska, and the Coast Guard along the Coastal areas.

Most of the time you never see them except for the ground bound ones. Those in the air are pretty much invisible to the normal person. If they see something by plane, they either vector the ground teams to the area or vector one helicopter in.

Most people don't realize just how extensive rescue programs are in Alaska.

[NikkiV]

Originally Posted by starlite9

There are a lot of people in the rescue business in Alaska, and the Coast Guard along the Coastal areas.

Most of the time you never see them except for the ground bound ones. Those in the air are pretty much invisible to the normal person. If they see something by plane, they either vector the ground teams to the area or vector one helicopter in.

Most people don't realize just how extensive rescue programs are in Alaska.

Lol, trust me I'm well aware.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by tigre79

And if nobody wanted to explore the world and take risks we may have survived as a species but we sure wouldn't have done much.

Are you truly comparing the McCandless moron with world explorers?

He certainly did not explorer anything, hell, he starved to death before he could even make it off the road system. McCandless was a typical urbanite, completely out his element as soon as he left the city limits.

Originally Posted by tigre79

The balance of risk-taking and actual skills wasn't there, but the kid had heart and that's something at least.

You mistaken "heart" for abject stupidity.

Originally Posted by tigre79

He seemed to be a spoiled, book-smart kid, maybe with some mental or emotional problems, who thought he could handle the real world a lot better than he could.

McCandless was a delusional idiot, and unworthy of glorification. If someone were "book-smart" they would already know what to expect, even if they lack the experience. McCandless had absolutely no clue what he was doing or what to expect, which blows away your high praise of his abilities.

Originally Posted by tigre79

So he was smart in some areas and stupid in others, like a lot of people.

No, he was stupid in every respect, without exception. The fact that he could walk and breathe at the same time is miraculous in his case.

Originally Posted by tigre79

The difference was his desire for what he considered adventure. There are plenty of people just as stupid in the same ways, that never bother to go out and do anything interesting. They're not smarter than he was, probably just lazier and less arrogant.

But they are indeed smarter. McCandless starved himself to death, remember? At least these other stupid urbanites you speak of have enough common sense to stay out of an environment they know nothing about.

Originally Posted by tigre79

It was his life, and I have to respect that he lived it the way he wanted to, at least until his luck ran out.

It was indeed his life, and if I had to say something good about him, at least he did not kill anyone else in the process of his stupidity. Unlike Timothy Tredwell.

I am at least gratified to know that he killed himself prior to reproducing.

[Gungnir]

Originally Posted by Glitch

If someone were "book-smart" they would already know what to expect, even if they lack the experience. McCandless had absolutely no clue what he was doing or what to expect, which blows away your high praise of his abilities.



No, he was stupid in every respect, without exception. The fact that he could walk and breathe at the same time is miraculous in his case.

Whatever you may think of the guy, at least either learn about him, or be honest. He graduated Emory with a Bachelors in History and Anthropology, and was offered a membership of the Phi Beta Kappa society as a junior (he declined), which means he was certainly not stupid in every respect. Perhaps not realistic, or practical, but not "stupid" without exception.

With full disclosure I will state that education is not necessarily any indication of earth shattering intelligence especially with humanities courses. However there is a much higher frequency of higher intelligence associated with people who have received a qualification that is higher than a GED, than those who have not, and being offered a membership at a nationally recognized honors society does require slightly more intellectual horsepower than only being able to drool in your oatmeal.

[blueflames50]

Originally Posted by Gungnir

Whatever you may think of the guy, at least either learn about him, or be honest. He graduated Emory with a Bachelors in History and Anthropology, and was offered a membership of the Phi Beta Kappa society as a junior (he declined), which means he was certainly not stupid in every respect. Perhaps not realistic, or practical, but not "stupid" without exception.

With full disclosure I will state that education is not necessarily any indication of earth shattering intelligence especially with humanities courses. However there is a much higher frequency of higher intelligence associated with people who have received a qualification that is higher than a GED, than those who have not, and being offered a membership at a nationally recognized honors society does require slightly more intellectual horsepower than only being able to drool in your oatmeal.

hummmm what we call that here is "an educated idiot"....not a lick of common sense nor touch with reality for social or survival skills....most "educated and received qualification" will not survive in a life or death situation due to this....