Comments on: Idealism, Hypocrisy & Heroes

By: bobby Shayne

bobby Shayne — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:17:34 +0000

what chapter is this from you guys really have to cite

By: flimmerwesen

flimmerwesen — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:12:56 +0000

The story about Chris got very near to myself. Yes, he inspires me. My boyfriend is thinking the same way as he did – so sometimes I´m a little bit scared he could “run away” from “normal life”. I highly respect Chris way of living his life… so many people only talk about what is bad in the society, but he CHANGED his way of living. I think it needs so much courage… most people fail in making this change. So this is one reason why he really affects me.
By the way… I love the movie And I reread the book ever and ever again. Highly fascinating person!

By: Sara

Sara — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:14:35 +0000

My husband and I have opposite takes on the book/movie. I identify with him, as a nature lover and a bit of a wanderlust. If I’d lived in an abusive family situation (which I didn’t!) and didn’t have my husband to anchor me as a young adult, I might have done something along those lines. Probably not kayak into Mexico or lived in the Alaskan bush by myself, but disappear for awhile. He was not unlike a teenager running away, but more competent. My husband just thinks he was messed up by his family, was a little too precocious from his upper-middle class mentality that things would work out for him no matter how far he pushed the boundaries, and that he needed help. In psychological language, he had some “attachment” issues, and preferred his own company at the end of the day. Both views probably have some truth in them.

By: Elizabeth K

Elizabeth K — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:12:53 +0000

Yes, he lives. It was good!

By: Natasha Fondren

Natasha Fondren — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:00:33 +0000

Kristy, I can only imagine how that sort of insecure lifestyle is hard on those who love him. I know my mother, when I told her of my plans, was aghast. She wants me in a 9-5 job, with a big house. Both those things utterly repulse me; I think I’d rather be dead, LOL. She just wants me safe and sound and secure.

But your family is awesome to support him and make the effort to understand him.

I want to read his other books, definitely!

By: Kristy Baxter

Kristy Baxter — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:42:04 +0000

I loooove this book. It got passed around my entire family over the course of one year, introduced to us by my brother. He’s the one living closest to this–right now he’s in Alaska working with AmeriCorps. We never really know where he might be a year from now. Which made reading Into the Wild (and watching the movie) all the more difficult, but also important, for me.

I’d also recommend Jon Krakauer’s other books. Into Thin Air, an account of his attempt to climb Everest, is absolutely riveting…and Under the Banner of Heaven, tracks the history of fundamentalist Latter Day Saints in conjunction with a brutal crime committed by some practicing members. Not an easy read, by any means–there were times I had to put the book down and just walk away–but a pretty in-depth examination of fundamentalist religion.

By: Natasha Fondren

Natasha Fondren — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:59:47 +0000

That sounds like a Catch-22 to me, Kate! I would do what you’re doing, honestly. It’s how I started out with my piano studio. I would never have been brave enough to leap off a cliff like I did this time, but at least I had some income and my husband’s income.

The keys to his success were that he lived off of rice and what he could hunt or pick, and spent no money. That’s an extreme that I’m pretty sure would also make us miserable. Every one has to find their own sweet spot, I think.

I hope you get to yours soon, Kate! *hugs*

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:42:59 +0000

Thanks for sharing this, Natasha! I hadn’t heard of this before and while on one hand, I’d love to read his story, on the other, I’m afraid to. Every day, I am so tempted to just “chuck it all” and take my chances, that I might be too inspired to do just that without being properly prepared. You see, I did that once before and even though I thought I was prepared, life ended up showing me how wrong I was.

BUT, during that time period, I can honestly say, with no exaggeration, that I was happier and healthier than I’d ever been in my life. But then unexpected emergencies came up, I ran out of money, wasn’t making enough on the side to pay rent, feed & clothe my kid, etc. and had to go back to the dreaded day job. Now, a year later – my arthritis has worsened, my gastro complaints have worsened, and I’m miserable again. But I still have bills to pay and a kid to feed.

So, which is the more loving, responsible thing to do? Drop out again, file for bankruptcy and help drag the economy down further, not be able to put my kid through school, but be happy and healthy? (Isn’t a happy, healthy parent usually a better one?) Or should I stay miserable but meet my financial obligations and provide for my daughter?

I’m opting for something else this time. I’ve set a goal to continue working full time until I make “X” amount of money writing and painting. If I can make that monetary goal, then I’ll switch to part time and try to increase the art/writing money. If I can do that, THEN I’ll “drop out” again.

Oh, but it’s so hard waiting! That’s why I’m afraid his story would just make me want things I’m not yet prepared for. And I look at your camper days with deep longing and envy.

By: Natasha Fondren

Natasha Fondren — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:59:51 +0000

I want to see the movie, Robin! It’ll be interesting to compare. It does seem sad and inevitable, though.

By: Robin Altman

Robin Altman — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:50:51 +0000

I haven’t read the book, and only saw the movie, which probably failed to convey the humanitarian side of him. In the movie he just seemed sort of confused and kooky. I felt sad for him. And when he died, there was a sense of inevitability such that I didn’t feel sad at all.