Into the Wild

It's odd, because for days I've been wanting to blog about various random thoughts I've had from how young boys are trained from an early age to take care of women to how carefree and irresponsible college life really is to how incredibly fertile my little sister is...but in the end, I was to lazy and pre-occupied with catching up on my DVR and reading of Twilight, that I did not bother and let the thoughts pass. However, today, I must pick up the old laptop and do a bit of chatting about the film, yes film, and though I rarely use the word film, as a I feel it is meant to depict a work of art, this occasion does call for its use.

Quite some time ago, July of 2005 to be exact, my friend JP posed the question: Chris McCandless, Genius or Jackass?. At the time of this post, I had no idea who this fellow was, or why I should be interested in debating about it...however, now having seen the film directed by Sean Penn, based on Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild"...I not only have interest in debating the topic, but also have a new book to add to my every growing list of "must reads".

To put it simply, Chris "Alex" McCandless, in my opinion, was less on a mission of self-discovery, but more on a mission to find happiness. Though I admit the two are related, they are not synonomous. It seems as if he felt the societal norms/expectations, in regards to where ones values should lie, were inconsequential and if followed too closely would lead to misery and unhappiness. It seems as if the last thing this lad wanted was to become this "cookie cutter" type person with 2.5 kids, a dog, and on the verge of divorce....trust me, I get it.

College can be an awakening experience in regards to stimulating the ideals of free thinking. College is typically the first taste of real freedom for most and if not properly guided/filtered/directed....can be quite disasterous. It seems that Chris was running as far away as he could from this lifestyle he dreaded could be his fate. I mean the boy was from Virginia and was headed to Alaska...why Alaska? He cut all ties with his family and home relationships and seemed quite determined not to establish any real relationships with anyone he met....he even used a fake name...Alex Supertramp.

Chris was obviously a well-educated boy, he graduated from Emory, read the works of our most brillant authors.....however, what good is knowledge if it's not applied?

I am all for life "missions" but some of Chris' actions seemed so juvenile which makes me hesistant to give him the moniker of "genius". I mean if you are going to go find yourself in the middle of nowhere Alaska, please pack more than 10lbs of rice, a camera, knives, books and a journal...consider some beef jerky, powder protein supplement, canned goods????....and is burning your cash necessary?? ....especially when you would obviously later need cash to buy a kayak, tents etc.....this "trust fund baby" probably should not have given all his trust to charity ($25,000)....I understand and respect the poetry or symbolism he was going for in ridding himself of all his worldy possessions...but it's called: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance...i.e. you dying in a decrepit old bus, in the middle of nowhere alaska, weighing in at 72lbs, starved to death.

In the end though, he did find happiness...or rather the conditions which are required in order to achieve happiness- "Happiness Only Real When Shared". In the end, he regretted the decisions that led him to dying hungry and alone in Alaska...I'm quite sure, on his death bed, a wife, 2.5 kids and a dog seemed ideal.

I think poor Chris was searching for love and happiness....in all the wrong places.

I wouldn't call him a genius or a jackass...I would call him a young kid who lost his way, and did not figure out his way back, until it was to late.