He didn't know love

[QuadrayIsmail]

I didn't read the book, I hear it's quite different from the movie, but from what I saw, Christopher McCandless wasn't capable of love. And I think that's why he foolishly walked into the wild to a suicidal death. What else could you call it? He left his family in anguish, wondering what his fate was. You don't do that to people you love, even if you have issues with them. Would it be so difficult or "out of character" to drop a line, a postcard, anything?, just to say, I'm still here, I've decided to live a different life and I'll be in touch from time to time.
Yet he burnt his car which would only make your family think something bad happened. He couldn't even bring himself to give the last money he had to someone who needed it, he had to burn it symbolically. This kid is not a hero, and he's certainly not inspirational. He was lucky to find an abandoned bus, which in itself is a paradox. Why would he shun all his worldly possessions to go live in the wild, yet make his home a bus? He doesn't take a compass, he doesn't take the map he needs, but this bus ... yes, I'll live in this bus, I won't find a way to truly subsist off the land, I'll live in this bus and in 112 short days, I'll die because I didn't value my life enough to learn just a few basic survival skills.
If you youngsters are so bent on shunning society, why don't you put down your laptop and ipod and go to your local library and read about Dick Proenneke. This guy moved to Alaska when he was already past 50, eventually building a cabin with rudimentary tools, eating what he could hunt, fish or grow, etc. And he did it for 30 years. Yes, he had a guy drop him supplies now and then, but if you watch or read what he did, it's truly inspirational. He also went back to visit his family now and then, which shows me he shared his love for the outdoors and adventure with his family.

Any fool can walk into the wild and basically die, no offense to the McCandless family (although I'm sure they've wrestled with these same thoughts since their son died).
In short, the movie makes me angry because his is a wasted life. He could have accomplished something but he did nothing and yet he's canonized by idiot 18 year old "men" who think, "yea! I'm going to Alaska to live off the land too, with as little as possible . F*ck you world!"

This story is about as interesting as Timothy Treadwell's brilliant plan to live with wild Grizzlies. What is it about Alaska and losing your senses?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a little miffed at society so I think I'll swim across Lake Superior ... in the dark ... with an anchor around my neck!

[jean-guy5]

i think your comments are very judgemental,specialy about our youths, and i believe that you are missing a very important point; millions of individuals, ( MILLIONS, not dozens or tousands),have been inspire by this young man; now tell me please, how many have been inspire by you? .....i don't think so.... your comments are as inpiring as your anchor idea....freedom of speach does not mean freedom to attack others with words put together in stupid sentences,...anyway... thank you for making me laugh.

[Long Travler]

As a matter of fact Chris McCandless did know love and he certainly did not waste his life. If you saw and experienced what he did you would probably see what life it really like. I am planning to follow his footsteps and I am not going to my death, nor am I wasting my life doing it. I am living!

[sscooter43]

I didn't read the book, I hear it's quite different from the movie, but from what I saw, Christopher McCandless wasn't capable of love.

Christopher McCandless was capable of love. It shows with the friends he made on the road and it espeically showed with the relationship he had with his sister.

Yet he burnt his car which would only make your family think something bad happened.

He never burnt his car. He did not burn it in the movie, he did not burn it in the book, and he did not burn it in real life. The reason he stop useing it is that it got caught in a flood, which means he could not start it anymore.

This kid is not a hero, and he's certainly not inspirational.

There is a quote from the Movie One Man's Hero where John Riley says "Well, One Man's Hero is another Man's traitor". This quote can apply here, as too anybody else that people think is a hero. Some people think Chris is a hero, some think he is an idiot, and others do not know who he is.

If you youngsters are so bent on shunning society, why don't you put down your laptop and ipod and go to your local library and read about Dick Proenneke.

I agee with this. I think both youngsters and old people should go to their local libraries and read about Dick Proenneke...but I do not think they should stop there. I think they should start reading other books too, both fiction and non-fiction. I also think they should read magazines and I think they should read the newspapers everyday.

[bobenns]

I didn't read the book, I hear it's quite different from the movie, but from what I saw, Christopher McCandless wasn't capable of love. And I think that's why he foolishly walked into the wild to a suicidal death. What else could you call it? He left his family in anguish, wondering what his fate was. You don't do that to people you love, even if you have issues with them. Would it be so difficult or "out of character" to drop a line, a postcard, anything?, just to say, I'm still here, I've decided to live a different life and I'll be in touch from time to time.
Yet he burnt his car which would only make your family think something bad happened. He couldn't even bring himself to give the last money he had to someone who needed it, he had to burn it symbolically. This kid is not a hero, and he's certainly not inspirational. He was lucky to find an abandoned bus, which in itself is a paradox. Why would he shun all his worldly possessions to go live in the wild, yet make his home a bus? He doesn't take a compass, he doesn't take the map he needs, but this bus ... yes, I'll live in this bus, I won't find a way to truly subsist off the land, I'll live in this bus and in 112 short days, I'll die because I didn't value my life enough to learn just a few basic survival skills.
If you youngsters are so bent on shunning society, why don't you put down your laptop and ipod and go to your local library and read about Dick Proenneke. This guy moved to Alaska when he was already past 50, eventually building a cabin with rudimentary tools, eating what he could hunt, fish or grow, etc. And he did it for 30 years. Yes, he had a guy drop him supplies now and then, but if you watch or read what he did, it's truly inspirational. He also went back to visit his family now and then, which shows me he shared his love for the outdoors and adventure with his family.

Any fool can walk into the wild and basically die, no offense to the McCandless family (although I'm sure they've wrestled with these same thoughts since their son died).
In short, the movie makes me angry because his is a wasted life. He could have accomplished something but he did nothing and yet he's canonized by idiot 18 year old "men" who think, "yea! I'm going to Alaska to live off the land too, with as little as possible . F*ck you world!"

This story is about as interesting as Timothy Treadwell's brilliant plan to live with wild Grizzlies. What is it about Alaska and losing your senses?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a little miffed at society so I think I'll swim across Lake Superior ... in the dark ... with an anchor around my neck!

You need to read the book, and listen to your heart. There is much more to this than the "Hollywood" version. Chris was searching for truth, about meaning, about life, about himself. The story is so tragic when you really take a look and get a glimpse of who he was, what he was like. He was like me, he was like you. His passion cost him his life. There is much to learn from his life, much to learn about ourselves. Much to be appreciated.
At first glimpse it seems so foolish, but when you understand what he was looking for you start to realize how shallow we all have become in our everyday life of materialism. Most of us have near death experiences and often die symbolically many times in our pursuits. Chris had a quest, a noble one, to be true to himself. Perhaps somewhat misguided and certainly unusual, he was a most remarkable person, and yes he died too young. Don't hate him, try to understand him and you will learn something about yourself.

[SteveSalmon]

~SS

[butterflyxx]

@Quadrayismail.. dude you are so simple. I don't see how you find Dick Proenneke's story so different from Chris's, to me it sounds exactly the same except that Proenneke lasted longer. If you had read the book, i'm sure you would understand that McCandless was not totally escaping his family (ony temporarily) , he wrote in his diary "happiness is only real when shared". After 100 days he was already planning to turn back but couldn't yet cross the river so he had to wait until August until it had become less strong. He was courageous. The world was too superficial for him - for a lot of us on this forum. Except he was the one doing something about it, proactive, rather than sitting, reading through this forum, fantasizing and twiddling his thumbs. He was living the life he imagined and that is why his last letter reads

" I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE & THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL" - Have you not seen his departing photo. All though his life was shorter than most, it was packed with so many experiences, with homeless people, prostitutues, tramps, in the wilderness, hunting, solitude, comraderie... so much that the average person cannot even fathom. He was lived more in his short years, and has gained more wisdom and truths about the world than the average person. & for that I commend him!!!

He lived his life his way - defying norms! So many times I have wanted to express an opinion or an ideal and have dismissed it knowing that it was too radical. Rather, McCandless was not hindered by this. He was courageous. An inspiration & anyone in my opinion who thinks otherwise is close-minded and brainwashed by societal norms and the media.

Bless McCandless, forever my inspiration!!

**********So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
— Chris McCandless **********************************

[butterflyxx]

Oh and @sscooter43 I was meant to thank you. You absolutely nailed it in my opinion. Some people are just too opinionated and can't see the wider perspective. Chris may be a hero to some, fool to others. The fact is, he's a hero to us