gnasher16 30,539 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) I recently read my first ever book cover to cover and really enjoyed it so ordered the film has anybody seen it ?.....anyone got any views on the lad McCandless was he a complete idiot or a bit of a free spirit ?.....interesting story for those of you who havent heard of it.....certainly puts paid to any of my Grizzly Adams plans yet f**k it im getting meself a bit more knowledge first. Edited February 21, 2019 by gnasher16 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lurcherman 887 13,277 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 Thats a good film that well enjoyed it.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisJones 7,975 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 1 hour ago, gnasher16 said: I recently read my first ever book cover to cover and really enjoyed it so ordered the film has anybody seen it ?.....anyone got any views on the lad McCandless was he a complete idiot or a bit of a free spirit ?.....interesting story for those of you who havent heard of it.....certainly puts paid to any of my Grizzly Adams plans yet f**k it im getting meself a bit more knowledge first. The film is a pretty good adaptation IMHO. If you've enjoyed the book you'll probably enjoy the film too. Bonkers, or free spirit? Bit of both with decent slice of naivety thrown in for good measure. If you're looking at going off grid build up your skillset first, don't go full McCandless as they say! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 I watched the dvd got it at pound shop i liked it so brought the book I’m about halfway through i watched an interesting documentary on I think Netflix about his life, not a very good home life by all accounts Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisJones 7,975 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 11 minutes ago, trapperman said: i watched an interesting documentary on I think Netflix about his life, not a very good home life by all accounts Not seen the documentary but I'd read a little into his home life and it was full of abuse by all accounts and factored into his travels. The Alaskan stint of his journey certainly polarized opinions of him. His story is a sticky point for a lot of Alaskans. They see Krakauer's book romanticising as what happens when you ignore the 6P's and is essentially suicide through stupidity. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
socks 32,253 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 Read the book and watched the film ... he was doing ok except for a few mistakes which anybody could have made and I’m normal life wouldn’t have been fatal ... but when your in the arse end of nowhere with no coms even a little mistake can mean the end of you ....... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Billy b 795 Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 Seen the film,not bad. Interesting chap that's for sure Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greg64 2,888 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) this is a bit strange if true ,it seems like there was quite a few cabins not far from that bus so he was not quite as isolated as you think Edited February 22, 2019 by greg64 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnasher16 30,539 Posted February 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 10 hours ago, ChrisJones said: Not seen the documentary but I'd read a little into his home life and it was full of abuse by all accounts and factored into his travels. The Alaskan stint of his journey certainly polarized opinions of him. His story is a sticky point for a lot of Alaskans. They see Krakauer's book romanticising as what happens when you ignore the 6P's and is essentially suicide through stupidity. I wouldnt say he was raised with abuse as such was he ?....i know he didnt get on with his father but McCandless did seem to just be one of those oddball types who seems to stroll through life with very few needs....i quite liked his attitude to life from the way he was presented in the book he had a bit of that do or die spirit and placed value on experiences rather than material shit.....im not sure his actual death was really from stupidity but certainly what got him to the stage leading up to it was,something to do with his map not being the correct scale and had it been correct it would have showed some sort of bridge less than a mile away....wasnt he eating a plant regularly but then ate the roots of it which was what fxxxxd him up....just shows when you do something like that how decisions you make can cost you. I cant find this documentary about it anywhere. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Born Hunter 17,832 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 Idiot or free spirit....... Fair and natural question but tbh I'm not sure I care to judge him, I'm just glad people like him exist. I'd say he was/is an inspiration! I think that you can bog yourself down with preparation and fear. I admire folks who just go for it. 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greg64 2,888 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 31 minutes ago, Born Hunter said: Idiot or free spirit....... Fair and natural question but tbh I'm not sure I care to judge him, I'm just glad people like him exist. I'd say he was/is an inspiration! I think that you can bog yourself down with preparation and fear. I admire folks who just go for it. I think he came over as being mentally ill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Astanley 11,582 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 48 minutes ago, Born Hunter said: Idiot or free spirit....... Fair and natural question but tbh I'm not sure I care to judge him, I'm just glad people like him exist. I'd say he was/is an inspiration! I think that you can bog yourself down with preparation and fear. I admire folks who just go for it. 48 minutes ago, Born Hunter said: Idiot or free spirit....... Fair and natural question but tbh I'm not sure I care to judge him, I'm just glad people like him exist. I'd say he was/is an inspiration! I think that you can bog yourself down with preparation and fear. I admire folks who just go for it. Spot on ..where's the adventure if everything is safe and prepared ? you may have an experience ,but is it a real adventure ? If you are going to face the Dragon then there must be a real danger to your life ....otherwise your just playing . 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Born Hunter 17,832 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Astanley said: Spot on ..where's the adventure if everything is safe and prepared ? you may have an experience ,but is it a real adventure ? If you are going to face the Dragon then there must be a real danger to your life ....otherwise your just playing . Edited February 22, 2019 by Born Hunter 404 site error BS! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Waz 4,274 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 2 hours ago, greg64 said: I think he came over as being mentally ill I got left with similar thoughts, disturbed. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisJones 7,975 Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, gnasher16 said: I wouldnt say he was raised with abuse as such was he ?....i know he didnt get on with his father but McCandless did seem to just be one of those oddball types who seems to stroll through life with very few needs... Hard to say. His sister wrote a book and she describes the physical and sexual abuse inflicted by their parents. Both alchies. He said she said and all that as they stenuously deny the allegations but the sister claims it explains why Chris wanted to get away from everything. 6 hours ago, gnasher16 said: i quite liked his attitude to life from the way he was presented in the book he had a bit of that do or die spirit and placed value on experiences rather than material shit... Agreed I'm the same. If you don't like your situation, change it. He was the living embodiment of that philosophy and good or bad he lived life on his own terms. If the allegations of his home life are true then that alone should be to his credit if nothing else. 6 hours ago, gnasher16 said: im not sure his actual death was really from stupidity but certainly what got him to the stage leading up to it was,something to do with his map not being the correct scale and had it been correct it would have showed some sort of bridge less than a mile away... This is what polarizes opinion of him, especially with the Alaskans. The park rangers that found him said he didn't have a map of the area and if he had he could have simply walked out of his predicament earlier on at least. There was a hand operated tramway less than a mile from the bus but he didn't have a good enough map, if he had one at all. His limited knowledge and lack or preparation factored heavily too as the Alaskan bush will quickly weed out the unworthy which is what happened and some use McCandless' story as how not to guide to the wilderness. The Alaskans sit heavily in the bonkers deathwish camp. That being said I agree with you on his attitude. Critics aside he changed his situation and seized life by the horns. Stepped away from gear and threw his lot into experience. I admire him for that and after reading it all those years ago I have to say a lot of it stuck and I'd be lying if I said it didn't factor into how, why, and where I am today. Granted I didn't chuck it all in to go and hide in the woods but the woods is only a 100yards away when I'm out with the dogs! 6 hours ago, gnasher16 said: wasnt he eating a plant regularly but then ate the roots of it which was what fxxxxd him up....just shows when you do something like that how decisions you make can cost you. There's a lot of specualtion as to what caused his death. Not sure if they pinpointed it but there's plenty of plants that he collected that could've contributed to it but this is where upset he locals as they say better preparation could have avoided it. Roll the dice though, right? 5 hours ago, Born Hunter said: Idiot or free spirit....... Fair and natural question but tbh I'm not sure I care to judge him, I'm just glad people like him exist. I'd say he was/is an inspiration! I think that you can bog yourself down with preparation and fear. I admire folks who just go for it. Totally agree. Saying that I wouldn't just plonk myself down with a couple of books and expect to come out of it in one piece. He even managed to shoot a moose but he didn't know how to field dress and store it so it spoiled. I admire that he went for it although with the benefit of hindsight would his trip have been what it became if he'd prepared? Would he have his own thread on THL or would we be berating his reality survival school on the Discovery channel? Edited February 22, 2019 by ChrisJones Typo 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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