Comments on “Into the Wild” an inspiration for churchless roamers TypePad2007-11-04T19:27:22ZBrian Hineshttps://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/2007/11/into-the-wild-a/comments/atom.xml/Stuart commented on '“Into the Wild” an inspiration for churchless roamers 'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200e54f8f7e1c88342007-11-06T21:51:54Z2007-11-06T21:51:55ZStuarthttp://stuart-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/It was a great and moving movie. The book is a must-read too. The movie succeeds on lots of levels:...<p>It was a great and moving movie. The book is a must-read too. The movie succeeds on lots of levels: great nature photography, fine acting, moving human relationships.</p>
<p>But what attracts me most about the story is indeed this sense of abandoning everything for total freedom. When I was younger (late teens through mid-20s) there were periods when I didn't stay in one place for more than 6-months or a year. Over 2 years in Asia. Over 2 years in American meditation ashrams. I gave no thought to the people I left behind along the way... but now I do.</p>
<p>Freedom has it's beauty, but it's not the ultimate point of life. What do you do with freedom, how do you use it? Is it enough just to get the good feelings of freedom for myself?</p>
<p>I couldn't admire "Into the Wild"'s Chris without reservation. For one thing, in my youth, I hung around with some Grateful Dead hippie-type folks. Yeah, they were colorful, fascinating, great in their way. Yet still... there was this sense that they placed such a high value on never planning, never committing. And that may have felt great for them, but doesn't it often place a burden on those around them?</p>
<p>FWIW, I have no children, but I have spoken to parents who saw "Into the Wild," and it had a huge affect on how they perceived the whole story. One grandmother I know could only feel anger for Chris, thinking about how he abandonned everyone who cared for him. Would it really have "cost" him anything to let his family know how he was? Does freedom have to be entirely "for me"?</p>
<p>Stuart<br />
<a href="http://stuart-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://stuart-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/</a></p> Brian commented on '“Into the Wild” an inspiration for churchless roamers 'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200e54f8de99f88342007-11-05T03:18:28Z2007-11-05T03:18:28Z Brianhttp://www.thehinessight.comRandy/R Blog, yes, he does die. This is so well known, and doesn't at all spoil the movie, that I'll...<p>Randy/R Blog, yes, he does die. This is so well known, and doesn't at all spoil the movie, that I'll answer your question. </p>
<p>I just had a conversation about the movie along much the same lines as your comment. I understand what you're saying. </p>
<p>However, I believe about a quarter of the people who attempt to climb Mt. Everest also die (maybe not quite that high a percentage, but it's a lot).</p>
<p>They're very well prepared and organized, by and large. It's just risky business. Yes, McCandless took big risks. I was told today that he didn't have a map that would have told him that the swollen river that kept him trapped in his "magic bus" could have been forded upstream or downstream.</p>
<p>Bad preparation, from one perspective. But his intention was to go into the wild naked, so to speak. Armed with as little as possible.</p>
<p>I admire the guy. But I haven't read the book and don't know how closely the movie tracked the reality of McCandless.</p>R Blog commented on '“Into the Wild” an inspiration for churchless roamers 'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200e54f8ddf5988342007-11-05T01:59:05Z2007-11-05T01:59:05ZR BlogHaven't seen the film but read the book. And, I think even the producers say the movie was "inspired" by...<p>Haven't seen the film but read the book. And, I think even the producers say the movie was "inspired" by a true story. I'm a big fan of Jon Krakauer's writing. He was fascinated by this story because of some of his own foolhardy escapades where he survived but only because of good luck (or good karma). My take on Chris McCandless was that he was a bit of a doofus. It's great if you survive the Colorado River as a helmetless, unskilled kayaker; not so great when you starve to death in an old bus in the Alaska wilderness because you just weren't ready for the experience and because you made one bad decision after another. Perhaps it's my own cautious nature that makes me not want to admire the late Chris McCandless but reluctantly esteem Jon Krakauer's equally foolish and breathtaking solo climb of Devil's Thumb. Maybe a successful outcome is important. Isn't that why a lot of people on this blog have chucked RSSB? They believe they found themselves sitting alone in the wilderness starving for spiritual experience and decided to walk out? <br />
I suppose there is an Alaska within all of us waiting to be explored. But it would seem prudent to be more prepared for the exploration than poor Chris seemed to be. Or, more cautious. Or, more skeptical.<br />
Does he die in the film?</p>Tucson commented on '“Into the Wild” an inspiration for churchless roamers 'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200e54f8dc87288342007-11-04T23:00:24Z2007-11-04T23:00:25ZTucsonBrian, you wrote: "I even had some popcorn with real butter on it, forgetting for a moment my usual heart-healthy...<p>Brian, you wrote: </p>
<p>"I even had some popcorn with real butter on it, forgetting for a moment my usual heart-healthy diet anxieties."</p>
<p>It is amazing how the animal fat/cholesterol connection to heart disease persists. It is still so ingrained in the public psyche that it borders on blind religious belief. This is decidedly un-churchless!!</p>
<p>Have a kayak ride on the slippery slope of butter without anxiety: </p>
<p><a href="http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm</a><br />
</p>william commented on '“Into the Wild” an inspiration for churchless roamers 'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200e54f79b7ab88332007-11-04T22:03:32Z2007-11-04T22:03:33Zwilliam"And to other adventurers who head off into unknown territory, whether inner or outer." Good point I suspect the inner...<p>"And to other adventurers who head off into unknown territory, whether inner or outer."</p>
<p>Good point I suspect the inner search for our mind’s unknown potentials has far greater and more challenging adventures than the outer search.</p>
<p>Very few want to take that inner search as most want to find a system of beliefs they can accept and then defend those beliefs in spite of the evidence.</p>
<p>Why is this so? Could it be our beliefs are us. Who we are or at least who we perceive we are is nothing more than this “bundle of beliefs”. I have read that some suggest our perception of self (bundle of beliefs) is who others think we are. I suspect it is a combination of both.</p>
<p>Our beliefs are usually not open for discussion as we defend them to the end, as our beliefs are our perceived personal identity. We are like this walking bundle of beliefs and to question one’s beliefs is to question their personal identity even if their beliefs are that there is no self to question.</p>
<p>The human mind is an amazing instrument capable of unbelievable potential. Just saw a special on TV on the original rain man. His mind’s abilities defy explanation.</p>
<p>Again maybe out minds will someday have the capabilities of this rain man. As I have stated many times on this blog we humans are only at the beginning stages of this evolutionary process.<br />
</p>