Is this what Chris wanted?

[trout5556]

A movie, website that you have too register for? I think he wanted more mabye he quoted thoreau for a reason. i admire him but once again i reailse hmmmmm commercialism once again wins.

[ellisd]

maybe he would shun the idea of the movie, book, and website. but then again, i think that if he knew how his story touched so many people, he might not have minded as much, but thats just my opinion.

[bobenns]

If I had the choice of dying and becoming famous at 24, or living my full life as it goes? What would I choose?
What would you choose?

[timetraveler]

Was there a mention about other achievements that Chris was setting out to do......No there wasn't. If there was a mention of more goals on his plate, then we all can assume he was wanting to leave. I am thinking , as was the case, the stars were aligned for his passage to the end. It was his time to go. Like I mentioned before, This was the way he was supposed to go. Otherwise he would be with us right now and we wouldn't be talking about his story. He tried to leave but he went back and accepted his fate. That Ranger is passing judgement on Chris like a good government official should. What is intriguing about Chris is he made most of his story in the lower 48. The trip to Ak was only 20% of his travels, so park ranger, please stand down. We all did stupid things but we made it out alive. God has a better plan for us. OOT.

[bobenns]

the stars were aligned for his passage to the end. It was his time to go. Like I mentioned before, This was the way he was supposed to go.

Can you point out those stars to us? I'd like to see how mine are aligned so I can make plans for the time I have left.

Thats a rather fatalistic outlook to have. I disagree. If we subscribe to that belief, we must also believe that the free will does not exist. That history is predetermined and has progressed in the only manner possible. And that we have no power to influence the future, or indeed, our own actions. So therefore there is no point in doing anything or even thinking as everything is predetermined. There is no original thoughts or ideas, just a crazy charade and life is really just a cruel joke.

When a person has a family history of a certain disease and they get that disease and pass on. We might be right to say that it was inevitable, that their time had come, that that was the way they were supposed to go. That they were powerless to avoid the inevitable.

However, when your demise is the consequence of your own unique thoughts, actions and behaviors, it is usually termed "death by misadventure". Many of us have cheated fate or almost certain death through our actions at the last minute to deflect or change direction or otherwise affect an outcome that was inevitable had we not acted. Had we no free will, no power to act to change an outcome we would have been just as well to have never even lived. What would be the point?

By his own scarce writing we know that in the end Chris felt powerless to affect a different outcome. But it was by his own free will, by his own personal choice that he found himself facing premature death alone is a desolate place. He went out there ill equipped against the advice of every person who learned of his scheme. The stars had nothing to do with it. It was all his own doing and refusal to take advice from others.

We are all traveling through space and time. We constantly do things that affect outcomes. Even if we did nothing it would still affect the outcomes had we done something.

You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's a signpost up ahead: You've just crossed over into a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call .... "The Twilight Zone"

I believe that people believe whatever they want to. That doesn't mean its reality or realistic. Its just what they believe. Personally I try to keep an open mind. I try, I don't always succeed. But I do have free will and choices to make every day. I have learned in my life that the choices I make can have profound effects on what happens next.

[QuasiFreeMind]

No, this is not what Chris wanted in the end...the road to come to that realisation by himself, is what he wanted.

In his vision, at the movies’end, holding mom and dad while he anticipates the clouds to move away from the sun, is what he wanted to experience. I'll bet that if he had to do it over again he surely would consider giving that hug a try in earlier days.

The movie popped up on public TV here (the Netherlands) last night and I was grappled by the starting credits mentioning music by Eddie Vedder and screenplay/directed by S. Penn; that was enough to get my attention.
I sat mesmerized through the whole movie, feeling someone finally put into words and actions what I've been feeling and have been drawn to all my life : give up on double standard morality as an influence on how to live my live and put that into practice by a self sustainable way of life. It always felt utopian and an escapismlike notion. Chris gave it a soul, even pointed out things for me now in retro. I can't remember feeling so close to the lead character of a movie of which I only just found out at the movies’ ending credits, that he is réal, a person who did this...like me, like you....I was and still am amazed ! I cried my ass off....I experienced a wide range of emotions and made me curious as hell...

I'm surely not as well informed on Chris's life, just by seeing the movie, and reading the general messages on this board, I feel I need to make a remark : Chris’ origin, embodied by his mom and dad, is the origin of which he felt it was as hypocrite as hell. That tremendous realisation has an everlasting implication to his personality, I reckon. Rebellion (in the widest meaning of the word) starts there, against a feeling, not persons in particular. In my opinion, within that feeling, the seed for rebellion is seeded. Also rebellion against certain moral standards, commercialism etc. is rooted right there.

I really want to acknowledge the fact that Chris’ parents and his sister are a huge part in making it possible Chris’ story to be told, to be known. I have huge respect that they also had to be open about their history raising their kids in “all is OK America, for the outside world that is” . They also had to find a way to make the best of it, considering their own capacities and shortcomings. It seems to me they came clean too, in a majestically unselfish way by providing that much cooperation with the moviemakers. They are a huge part in making it possible for me to be curious of Chris’ legacy.

In conclusion : I think Chris would have loved to put his vision into practice, experience love with his mom and dad. He just wanted to found out for himself, he dind't like the rolemodels in his life at that certain time. I experienced Into the Wild as a lookback on how my parents (mis)shaped me, within their capacities, on how hypocrisy is experienced even at young age and the struggle (with all its’ beauty and mishaps) by Chris’, me and lots of more loyaltyissue-carrying people to actually accept it as a part of life, and maybe sometime therein find the reason to stop struggling, have the answer, feel the answer.

[bobenns]

No, this is not what Chris wanted in the end...the road to come to that realisation by himself, is what he wanted.

In his vision, at the movies’end, holding mom and dad while he anticipates the clouds to move away from the sun, is what he wanted to experience. I'll bet that if he had to do it over again he surely would consider giving that hug a try in earlier days.

The movie popped up on public TV here (the Netherlands) last night and I was grappled by the starting credits mentioning music by Eddie Vedder and screenplay/directed by S. Penn; that was enough to get my attention.
I sat mesmerized through the whole movie, feeling someone finally put into words and actions what I've been feeling and have been drawn to all my life : give up on double standard morality as an influence on how to live my live and put that into practice by a self sustainable way of life. It always felt utopian and an escapismlike notion. Chris gave it a soul, even pointed out things for me now in retro. I can't remember feeling so close to the lead character of a movie of which I only just found out at the movies’ ending credits, that he is réal, a person who did this...like me, like you....I was and still am amazed ! I cried my ass off....I experienced a wide range of emotions and made me curious as hell...

I'm surely not as well informed on Chris's life, just by seeing the movie, and reading the general messages on this board, I feel I need to make a remark : Chris’ origin, embodied by his mom and dad, is the origin of which he felt it was as hypocrite as hell. That tremendous realisation has an everlasting implication to his personality, I reckon. Rebellion (in the widest meaning of the word) starts there, against a feeling, not persons in particular. In my opinion, within that feeling, the seed for rebellion is seeded. Also rebellion against certain moral standards, commercialism etc. is rooted right there.

I really want to acknowledge the fact that Chris’ parents and his sister are a huge part in making it possible Chris’ story to be told, to be known. I have huge respect that they also had to be open about their history raising their kids in “all is OK America, for the outside world that is” . They also had to find a way to make the best of it, considering their own capacities and shortcomings. It seems to me they came clean too, in a majestically unselfish way by providing that much cooperation with the moviemakers. They are a huge part in making it possible for me to be curious of Chris’ legacy.

In conclusion : I think Chris would have loved to put his vision into practice, experience love with his mom and dad. He just wanted to found out for himself, he dind't like the rolemodels in his life at that certain time. I experienced Into the Wild as a lookback on how my parents (mis)shaped me, within their capacities, on how hypocrisy is experienced even at young age and the struggle (with all its’ beauty and mishaps) by Chris’, me and lots of more loyaltyissue-carrying people to actually accept it as a part of life, and maybe sometime therein find the reason to stop struggling, have the answer, feel the answer.

Welcome to the forum. I can see that you are one of us, that identifies.
Bob

[QuasiFreeMind]

Thanx Bob

there has not one night passed, since I saw the movie, Chris and/or his legacy crossed my mind before touching my pillow...

He made a profound impression and I ask myself; was it just the right time for me to be confronted with his legacy ? why now adn not earlier ? Am i happy to be confronted now, or rahter just not to have seen the movie ? Ghehehehe, beautiful questions though !

Seasons' Greetings