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Maybe, maybe not. Supposedly he wrote HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED on a page of his copy of Doctor Zhivago. Of course that might not mean he wanted to share happiness with his parents in the future, maybe it meant his sister, Carine?
I'm neither a psychologist or psychiatrist and have no idea what Chris's mindset was when he started hiking the Stampede Trail at the end if April 1992, was he crazy or insane, suicidal or have a death wish, all of the above, none of the above? If he did have a death wish and wanted to die out there, why did he write the SOS note asking for help?
Also, I do believe his living in the wild was only intended to be for 3+ months and he was going to go back to the lower 48, when it was all done. After his body was discovered, hidden in his backpack, was his wallet with various ID's and $300 in cash (3 crisp $100 bills). If he truly had a death wish, why keep the $300? Why not spend it on supplies or more food or give it away to a homeless bum?
Yeah, I agree with everything, except I don't think he had any timeline. I think he wanted and probably thought he could stay out there indefinitely. But he still kept the $300, as his plan B, so he could dive out anytime he wanted to. Which he tried to do, but miscalculated the difficulty crossing the river. He was definitely a survivalist, and had a plan. But surviving by yourself in the wilderness is easier said than done. The first time you get sick and need help, you are screwed.
Anybody thinking about doing it today, should have a personal locator beacon with them.
People die all the time in ways that are ruled accidental, usually participating in dangerous activities. I've always believed that many of these deaths were actually suicides - but on a subconscious rather than conscious level. Deep down they really just want to die but the will to survive, guilt over leaving others behind to deal with the trauma and other reasons trump that, so the mind comes up with ways to get around that. I think Chris was one of these deaths. If you look at the ridiculous way he "prepared" for this journey, ignoring all rational advice from his friend that dropped him off and his unbelievably irrational goals he had it makes sense to me. He wasn't stupid, only a complete moron would actually believe he could hike to the Bering sea with what he brought with him and survive.
I believe deep down he didn't want to live, certainly not as part of modern society.
The thing that saddens me is that he could have chosen a life other than that of a cubicle drone. There are people up in Alaska today who homestead successfully. Or he could have been a wilderness guide, or a nature photographer, or a professional river runner, or a bush pilot, or a National Park Ranger (to name just a few of the many possibilities open to him). Had he taken the time to really learn some outdoor skills, he could have had adventures like this guy (who's a legend in the long-distance and ultralight hiking communities).
But he never got the chance to live an unconventional life, because he inadvertently chose an all-too-conventional death. "Unprepared person goes out into wild nature and Darwinizes himself" is an old and familiar story.
Too bad; I think he would have matured into a very interesting man, had he lived.
People die all the time in ways that are ruled accidental, usually participating in dangerous activities. I've always believed that many of these deaths were actually suicides - but on a subconscious rather than conscious level. Deep down they really just want to die but the will to survive, guilt over leaving others behind to deal with the trauma and other reasons trump that, so the mind comes up with ways to get around that. I think Chris was one of these deaths. If you look at the ridiculous way he "prepared" for this journey, ignoring all rational advice from his friend that dropped him off and his unbelievably irrational goals he had it makes sense to me. He wasn't stupid, only a complete moron would actually believe he could hike to the Bering sea with what he brought with him and survive.
FYI it is possible to hike to the Bering Sea, and has been done successfully by too many people to count. The only real question would be, is it possible along the route he was choosing and with the supplies he had. I believe it would have been possible for him to make it to the Bering Sea. It would probably been about a five or six month trip. If he had kept walking he could have made it about 2/3 of the way, by the time he died. You don't have to be a moron to believe that is possible. Because it is possible.
Type 1. Those people go to school, get a good education, or learn a trade. They work 40, 50, 60 hour work weeks their whole life, at a job they hate. If they ever take a vacation, they just stay home and try to rest up before they go back to work. Eventually they retire either in old age or by disability, and spend their days complaining that they never had the chance to do all the things they wanted to do, and visit the places they wanted to visit, and now they are too old to do it. .
Type 2. Those people just don't care about working. They graduate, or they drop out of school, it doesn't matter. They get whatever quick job they can, earn just enough money, then quit and hit the road. When they run out of money, they go back to work, until they earn enough money to travel again.
Type 3. Those people go to school, get a good education, or learn a trade. They find a career, buy a house (or not), get married (or not), have kids (or not). They don't stay in a job they hate because they understand that life is what happens when you're not at the office or on the job. They use all their vacation time every year and enjoy their time with their family and friends. They retire and add more hobbies and/or travel to their lives. Ultimately, they understand that you can be both responsible and enjoy life at the same time.
Type 3. Those people go to school, get a good education, or learn a trade. They find a career, buy a house (or not), get married (or not), have kids (or not). They don't stay in a job they hate because they understand that life is what happens when you're not at the office or on the job. They use all their vacation time every year and enjoy their time with their family and friends. They retire and add more hobbies and/or travel to their lives. Ultimately, they understand that you can be both responsible and enjoy life at the same time.
That is the same as type 1. The average vacation time in the US is 10 days per year. Even if you use it all, that is hardly enough time to do much. 20% of Americans die before they even retire. Chris McCandless had more personal time in his short life, then most American workers will get by the time they retire. That is if they even reach retirement age.
That is the same as type 1. The average vacation time in the US is 10 days per year. Even if you use it all, that is hardly enough time to do much. 20% of Americans die before they even retire. Chris McCandless had more personal time in his short life, then most American workers will get by the time they retire. That is if they even reach retirement age.
Interesting way of looking at it. Lets go crazy and say he had 2 years free time (graduated in 1990, dead by Aug 92). Died by starvation, weighing 67 lbs, easily one of the most miserable ways to go.......as it takes time to die in that miserable bus.
He worked mediocre jobs (entry level, manual labor) while he traveled west (so where are the good times?). Then his journal has 100+ days at the bus, once again where are the "good times?" Alone in a remote area for weeks/months only to be found dead by some hunters looking for shelter? I'd rather work at McDonald's 40 hours a week and live in an efficiency with a girlfriend than wander alone in Alaska.
I think the kid was trying to be cool, "hey man I got freedom" and simply got in over his head and he died a slow miserable inescapeable death. There may have been some mental health issues going on as well.
That is the same as type 1. The average vacation time in the US is 10 days per year. Even if you use it all, that is hardly enough time to do much. 20% of Americans die before they even retire. Chris McCandless had more personal time in his short life, then most American workers will get by the time they retire. That is if they even reach retirement age.
Well, he did work on and off fast food and with that guy with the farm or whatever his business was. He spent a lot of time walking, hopping trains etc not sure that fits in with the idea "vacation time." He spent most of his time hungry, sleeping on the ground, etc. Not that he didn't have fun, but how he spent those 2 years certainly isn't my idea of fun or a vacation - seems to me a lot more like a sh$t existence - and a very compelling story.
Died by starvation, weighing 67 lbs, easily one of the most miserable ways to go.......as it takes time to die in that miserable bus.
No doubt, your body basically starts to consume itself by breaking down your muscle tissue once all the fat is gone and Chris was a tiny guy to begin with, according to his driver's license he was 5'06" and 140 lbs.
I assume he must of had ammo left, I guess he could of done a Hemingway if he wanted to, maybe he was too weak to pull the trigger or maybe he truly thought someone was going to rescue/save him in the end?
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