A reprise of a Dick Staub interview (2/15/96) with Jon Krakauer on the book Sean Penn has masterfully recreated in the film version in theatres now (October 2007). From Amazon.com review: "Why did Christopher McCandless trade a bright future–a college education, material comfort, uncommon ability and charm–for death by starvation in an abandoned bus in the woods of Alaska? This is the question that Jon Krakauer tries to answer. Into the Wild does shed considerable light along the way."
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It was mentioned that McCandles took with him, along with his meager supplies, a few books. In the classic 1960 movie The Time Machine we are left with the intriguing question "What three books were taken back to the future?" I find myself wondering what books were taken in this case.
I think it's sad that even though he apparently had every advantage – a loving family, a good education, a comfortable life – he didn't have Jesus Christ and therefore had no purpose in his life.
The fact that this man threw away his life and broke his family's heart is sad enough. Now he's treated as a hero, as if such a selfish act is something to be admired or emulated.
Why are we celebrating this guy?
After hearing the conclusion of this interview, I am even more disgusted with this guy. There's nothing 'spiritual' about making your family worry about you the way he did. Despite whatever imperfections they had, they seemed to love him. It doesn't seem he was escaping an abusive home life or anything like that.
What complete selfishness! If he'd gone off to a foreign country to help people or something, that would be different.
I'm guessing at any point during this thing, he could have called his parents and they would've taken him back. There's nothing heroic about someone deliberately throwing their life away.
He was a self centered, selfish human being who put his parents through hell. I can't imagine having a kid like this.
And again, he's being celebrated. I think it's sickening. He's no hero.
There are lessons every where Mo, and apparently, you are missing most of them. How do you know Chris wasn't a Christian? His hero, Tolstoy was one of the greatest converted Christians of all time. And even if he wasn't, who are you to make such harsh judgments…K-
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