Ever read "Into The Wild"? I am thinking about becoming homeless.

G&R wrote:

I am college educated, and really identify with Chris. Anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions?

Your life in this world is that f'd up, huh? Before you go off and live in the wilderness I suggest that you come spend some time in my old neighborhood -- the Gowanus Projects in Brooklyn, NY.

I can't believe some of the people I come across. Get some f***ing perspective.

marathondude wrote:

Agreed...Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, if you have experience.

Would you want to carry a gun if you do this?

A lot of the time it's because people are deeply unhappy they consider things like this as an experiment. Of course, being homeless is unlikely to solve anything, unless you're running from an abusive home, and even then it brings its own set of problems... there are more predators on the streets.

I'd say like someone else implied to strip down your life, move house to somewhere simpler, get rid of junk, start up some new projects or interests, community work, or gardening, or spend a summer working out in nature. Having a roof over your head and warmth, and access to water, places to cook food, these are important things.

im currently in Anchorage, AK and its actually astounding to see how many homeless people are in this town. They live and sleep outdoors all throughout winter. just being outside for more than 5 minutes becomes a challenge especially in Jan. yet there are lots of people straight up living outdoors.

if i was homeless, id think anchorage would be one of the worst places in the world to live. i'd go to texas or florida or california!!

By the way, my situation is a bit different than what many of you seem to think. I am 30 years old, and have a job. I am just tired of it. I live in LA, and if I went homeless, I'd probably stay in the LA area at first, so I wouldn't freeze to death. Maybe I'd try living in Angeles National Forest, and come back to civilization when I get hungry.

If you truly read the book, saw the movie and knew anything about this poor slob you'd understand that he was a selfish, relatively naive (stupid even?) individual. If you must emmulate him then do as another poster said, die somewhere where you can be found easier and involve as few people in your lie as possible.

I think people are severely missing the point of the book "Into the Wild". The main character Chris, who grew up with everything, represents a lot of kids in America. They grow up having everything, yet they feel like they are missing something. They grow up without a major conflict in their lives, and no real obstacles to overcome, therefore feel like they can never accomplish anything great.

I grew up very, very wealthy, and this was a large part of my life. My mom grew up very poor, and would constantly remind me how lucky I am, but when I got out of school I moved away to another city with barely any money. I turned down my parents offer to help me pay for the move, and did it on my own. I was spoiled growing up but can never really remember wanting any of it. I actually felt bad a lot of the time.

I know that sounds stupid, but when I moved away on my own, lived in a shitty section of a city and was making my own way I became a lot happier with myself. Yea, it was dumb, I racked up a little debt but I didn't feel that constant sense of guilt for having what other kids didn't have. At least then I could pretend I was like everyone else.

I never told people I met that I grew up so wealthy, because you are embarrassed. It makes you feel weak to some extent. I actually would lie sometimes to cover up how I grew up.

I think Chris is an extreme example, but I really related to the book in that Chris really needed conflict in his life, he just took a very extreme approach. People need conflict though. I know people who grew up poor would say: "You don't know conflict." and they're right. But Most of my life I was envious of those kids. You grow up wealthy and you will never have to face real problems, but on the flip-side, you will never be able to conquer those problems.

I would say to this kid who wants to venture off like Chris, to understand what the book was about. The author uses an extreme example, but you can find conflict in other, less stupid and more responsible ways. There are many, many ways to seek out what Chris was looking for.

Quit being a selfish little bitch. You are unhappy because your life revolves around you and you have no purpose. Go help someone else instead of thinking about yourself all the time and you will find happiness.

7/10 troll attempt. Not a well written explanation, but kind of works in your favor.

666 wrote:

I suggest that you come spend some time in my old neighborhood -- the Gowanus Projects in Brooklyn, NY.

Your lies about where you are from are just as big of a joke as the OP's ideas.

I want water trickling down my body while Eddie Vedder croons with an Alaskan backdrop to pull the scene in. Then, I want to turn down the hottest underage hippy because I'm way above sex. And finally a scene of me running through the woods with the pure soul of a hunter/dreamer. Then Sean Penn yells cut and we all go smoke weed and bang some hot extras.

McCandless was a naive, selfish, self-absorbed kid. Not anyone to emulate. Any positive character he did have was destroyed by Sean Penn's version of him in the movie.

There is a great book (biography) called The Last American Man. It's about a total badass who has a similar calling at a young age and spends an amazing portion of his life living outside (for a long time in a tepee he made in the woods). He becomes college educated, but never lives in anything someone else built for him (if I'm remembering correctly). Very smart guy though, and by the first sentence of the book you are aware his wilderness skills are way better than yours, no matter who you are.

last wrote:

and by the first sentence of the book you are aware his wilderness skills are way better than yours, no matter who you are.

Unless you expect people to read the book in reverse, are you saying that the title, cover, table of contents and first chapter heading are enough to make me "aware his wilderness skills are way better" than mine, no matter who I am?

That's some pretty potent stuff!

You're right about the conflict. That may have even been the authors intent. (Knowing the author I'd think not)

but you can't deny the fact that the kid was downright stupid.

You used a great example in your own personal experience. so would you have gone into the poor side of town and slept on a bench and eaten garbage out of a bin and sold your body for drugs? That would be the correct analogy.

You should do something cool, like move to LA or NYC and try to become an actor.

err...he's f***en dead

he starved to dead a few miles from the highway

he could hear passing trucks

more unnessacay confirmation that Sean Penn wasn't acting when he played that retarded guy.

fgfg wrote:

he starved to dead a few miles from the highway

he could hear passing trucks

more unnessacay confirmation that Sean Penn wasn't acting when he played that retarded guy.

Emile Hirsch played McCandless in the movie, not Sean Penn.

McCandless died about 20-25 miles from the nearest road.

daaah