Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
He didn’t go out there to die he went out there to live.
Actually he went out there to die, but thought he could live because he was stupid.
Guy was a moron, I lived for 7 years much further out than he did, didn't die, didn't come close to dying, didn't endanger anyone with me living out in the bush in AK. I knew what I was doing, but if I didn't maybe someone would have heard about me too, and written a romanticized novel about my exploits too.
He needed a map, he needed to know what he could eat, he wasn't far from a river and lived through two salmon runs, and it air dries for preservation, there was a crap load of stuff to eat without raiding local cabins and if you know about sweetvetch you know natives don't eat the seeds, wonder why?
Just a dumbass, nothing at all admirable about it, it's about as admirable as YouTube vids you watch knowing its all going to end badly, and waiting for it.
Actually he went out there to die, but thought he could live because he was stupid.
Guy was a moron, I lived for 7 years much further out than he did, didn't die, didn't come close to dying, didn't endanger anyone with me living out in the bush in AK. I knew what I was doing, but if I didn't maybe someone would have heard about me too, and written a romanticized novel about my exploits too.
He needed a map, he needed to know what he could eat, he wasn't far from a river and lived through two salmon runs, and it air dries for preservation, there was a crap load of stuff to eat without raiding local cabins and if you know about sweetvetch you know natives don't eat the seeds, wonder why?
Just a dumbass, nothing at all admirable about it, it's about as admirable as YouTube vids you watch knowing its all going to end badly, and waiting for it.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
People romanticizing this idiot don't stop to think the heartbreak he caused his family by disappearing then dying, and all the others who have died trying to follow his path.
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.
The problem is that you see only two types of people. That's pretty black and white, and there is a whole lot of in between that you aren't seeing.
I don't want to get an infraction for bickering, but honestly, when I read this book, it made me want to venture out, courageously. As it did for all 3 of my sons, upon reading this book. This young man, to us all, although he died accidentally, made us want to loose our bounds and travel in the wilderness.
Feels like a breath of fresh air. Like wings.
Same. He was one of the people to inspire my journey, which has taken me all over the world. For me, it's not so much about living off the land and surviving without money or anything extreme as he did. What inspired me is that he lived his life on his own terms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astral_Weeks
I agree with you; however, through naivete and ignorance he tragically died. With more preparation he would have lived.
I can respect the independent spirit he displayed but too many people only see that part and don't see the HUGE mistake he made with his lack of preparedness. This young lady who died crossing the river clearly didn't come prepared either.
It's okay. We die when we're meant to. I often go off into the wilderness alone and I could die too. I don't care. I'll die when I die. I could die tomorrow and feel fine about it. I've lived a full life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veritas Vincit
He had an over-idealized view of the natural world. Its what killed him and others like him.
I'm pretty sure he knew that. He was just ok with taking the risk. This is a person who burned all his money. He wasn't exactly looking to walk an easy road.
I believe people die when they're meant to and his death was part of his fate. Without his death, would any of us have even heard of him? I doubt it. There are lots of outdoorsy adventurers out there that I don't even know about, but because of his death, he became known and inspired so many.
People romanticizing this idiot don't stop to think the heartbreak he caused his family by disappearing then dying, and all the others who have died trying to follow his path.
It must seem that way to people who are inexperienced in wilderness travel. In fact he was reckless and foolish and was lucky to live as long as he did. One of his previous misadventures should have killed him.
I understand the allure of his spirited attempt to live life on his own terms, but he was still reckless and foolish in how he did it. That's not romantic.
It's okay. We die when we're meant to. I often go off into the wilderness alone and I could die too. I don't care. I'll die when I die. I could die tomorrow and feel fine about it. I've lived a full life.
Your fatalistic view ignores the fact he died unnecessarily at age 24. He could have had plenty of more adventures if he wasn't so ill-prepared.
People romanticizing this idiot don't stop to think the heartbreak he caused his family by disappearing then dying, and all the others who have died trying to follow his path.
Sounds like his parents were the type of a-hole parents that push their children to do what they think is best. It was his life to screw up, and he lived it on his terms and I respect that.
Chris's story should have been a tiny story in the newspaper and been forgotten. If not for Krakauer's best selling book Into Thin Air giving him a ton of attention, and then him catching this little story in the paper then deciding to write a book about it, it would have been. Such a personal journey that he went on that ended up being made into a movie and talked about endlessly on the interwebs. It's hard not to feel like this attention and analysis to be an invasion of his privacy in a way. As far as his breaking into cabins, that's speculation and not proven.
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.
Only these two types of people in the whole world (or even just the US), really? Generalize much?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
