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Its sadly ironic and perhaps a testament to (the inexperience of) some of the people who idolize him that he had the sense not to cross the river and she didn't. I guess she didn't read the book carefully enough. July is the same month that he turned back from crossing it.
If you think these sentiments are harsh, share your loving thoughts on the Alaska boards where they've been trying for years to get the bus destroyed or removed.
Alaskans think Chris McCandless was an idiot who in his death, continues to endanger the lives of others. He was illl prepared for his journey and most who try and follow in his footsteps are also ill prepared.
Not only that, he endagers the lives of civil servants who have to go rescue these fools.
Oh those Alaskans.....always trying to ruin lower 48ers fun! How dare they?
All I can do is smh and think idiots like this kid and Treadwell died the way they lived...foolishly. Their choice though. Too bad the girl with Treadwell was collateral damage.
When I read the book I thought what a stupid and naive guy. He just blundered through his various "adventures" without seeking out local knowledge or bothering to learn what was actually necessary to survive and to properly equip oneself for that sort of environment. It's amazing he didn't die on his foray through Baja before he even got to Alaska.
He thoroughly rejected modern society. This was a person born with a silver spoon. From rich educated parents, with excellent grades and acceptance into a highly prestigious college, his future is the American dream. He gave all his money away ($24k, which was a Lot of money in the 1980s for an 18 year old) and became a tramp. Not sitting down and carefully planning his moves was part of the fun and challenge. I think he'd rather have ended up dead the way he did than live the trappings of a modern professional. This is what made his story compelling. Many people can relate, and for those who can't they call him stupid or nuts.
He thoroughly rejected modern society. This was a person born with a silver spoon. From rich educated parents, with excellent grades and acceptance into a highly prestigious college, his future is the American dream. He gave all his money away ($24k, which was a Lot of money in the 1980s for an 18 year old) and became a tramp. Not sitting down and carefully planning his moves was part of the fun and challenge. I think he'd rather have ended up dead the way he did than live the trappings of a modern professional. This is what made his story compelling. Many people can relate, and for those who can't they call him stupid or nuts.
Then he deserved exactly what he got. How much fun is dying a miserable, wretched death in filthy freezing bus. You can live a self-directed life without being purposefully ignorant. I found the story not compelling, but a cautionary tale of how not to live your life as an adventure. There are people all over the world who reject the trappings of modern society and live self-sufficient lifestyles, or travel the adventurous highways, they don't end up a Darwin award.
Then he deserved exactly what he got. How much fun is dying a miserable, wretched death in filthy freezing bus. You can live a self-directed life without being purposefully ignorant. I found the story not compelling, but a cautionary tale of how not to live your life as an adventure. There are people all over the world who reject the trappings of modern society and live self-sufficient lifestyles, or travel the adventurous highways, they don't end up a Darwin award.
Personally I admire people like that. It's better to die doing something you love then waste your life doing something you hate. I have found that there are two types of people.
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.
The people who complain most about type 2 people, are mostly type 1 people who are bitter that they wasted their prime years away, and have very little to show for it. They see type 2 people doing and experiencing all the things they wished they could have done, when they were young.
He's a big hero of mine. He didn't commit suicide, he just made a mistake. He died living the life he loved, and that's inspiring.
He can be a nice and lovely person, and still be mentally ill. If he didn't go there to die, he certainly didn't go there to live. He gave away all his money, did not prepare properly, nor take nearly enough supplies. He didn't get any training on living in the wilderness alone.
He can be a nice and lovely person, and still be mentally ill. If he didn't go there to die, he certainly didn't go there to live. He gave away all his money, did not prepare properly, nor take nearly enough supplies. He didn't get any training on living in the wilderness alone.
How anyone could admire the sort of arrogance to think you can outsmart nature all by yourself without taking any more than a cursory stock of it is beyond me. The guy could have lived the kind of life (key word: LIVED) he wanted and that many others seem to admire so much without needlessly making himself a martyr to it. There are people in Alaska who do it all the time, but not without gaining the proper knowledge and skill set first.
Some people take huge risks to do things that give them satisfaction.
Other strangers call them stupid from the sidelines of an online forum.
Hey, I had carpaccio (raw beef) the other day. It was delicious. “Could’ve died”, though!
Taking risks is fine, but preparing and mitigating those risks is the trick for survival. Learning the skills, and preparing is key. He didn't do that. He essentially threw away his life due to mental illness, emotional instability, or plain stupidity. It was a waste of a life.
I have backpacked and camped in many parts of the Continental U.S. including the Rockies when I lived in Colorado. I stress "Continental" as Alaska is a entirely different environment, so even I would get the necessary training even after decades of being in the wilderness. For whatever reason, he didn't. It cost him his life.
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A woman died after trying to reach the famous 'Into the Wild' bus
