I rented this film saturday.
My feeling remains the same from when I read the book. McCandless was totally unrealistic about what he was getting into. The whole "woe is me, my parents were shitheads" thing got old quick. Get over it. Oh, he couldn't, because he died.....dumbass.
The Eddie Vedder soundtrack is great. Very appropriate to the film...

"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

>> my parents were shitheads


I read an article after the movie came out that said that aspect was exaggerated, and that he rarely talked about his family with anyone. I gotta bump this flick to the top of my netflix queue....

Watch this. Know that the kid dies in the end. That's all you need to know...

That's a cool video. I was surfing the web the other night and discovered that so many young people are going to Alaska to see where Chris McCandless died. I think the book is read by lots of young people - perhaps as a high school reading assignment- and they just become entranced with the idea of leaving home and living with nature. I bet that this book will become a real cult fave in years to come.

I also think that one of the reasons Krakauer chose to write the book is to prove that McCandless was not crazy or even depressed. I read some interviews about his family and the family life was not particularly a happy one. It was interesting how Krakauer researched some of the things that Chris encountered - like the potatoes being poisoned, the status of the weather and the river changes.

I really was fascinated not only by the story of Chris McCandless but also about some of the characters he met along the way and the relationships of the other campers and adventurers. This book is a keeper and I definitely will read it again. I can't wait to rent the movie.

I find it amusing how in the preview he burns all of his money BUT saves his Virginia tags.

native. Wrote:
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> I find it amusing how in the preview he burns all
> of his money BUT saves his Virginia tags.


I think it is supposed to be a metaphor for living in Virginia. Just ask Gravis.

Stories about self centered individuals "finding" themselves in the Wilderness... or at the top of Mt. Everest...or volunteering for a 3rd tour in Iraq rather sad. They apparently think their adrenaline fix is more important then the happiness of their families and friends...very sad.

Vince(1) Wrote:
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> Stories about self centered individuals "finding"
> themselves in the Wilderness... or at the top of
> Mt. Everest...or volunteering for a 3rd tour in
> Iraq rather sad. They apparently think their
> adrenaline fix is more important then the
> happiness of their families and friends...very
> sad.


I agree with the first two, but I have to differ on the Iraq one. A lot of the time people go for a 3rd tour because they feel guilty about leaving their comrades behind - a sense of guilt the military does nothing to dissuade and everything to capitalize on.

WashingToneLocian Wrote:
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> I agree with the first two, but I have to differ
> on the Iraq one. A lot of the time people go for a
> 3rd tour because they feel guilty about leaving
> their comrades behind - a sense of guilt the
> military does nothing to dissuade and everything
> to capitalize on.



+1

Ever been in the miltary Vince?

496 Wrote:
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> Ever been in the miltary Vince?


I bet!
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My remark was not anti-military...I respect the military greatly. But when someone has done thier duty....above and beyond their duty and goes back in harms way...there comes a point where that isnt patriotism..or duty..it's selfish behavior.

Vince(1) Wrote:
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> My remark was not anti-military...I respect the
> military greatly. But when someone has done thier
> duty....above and beyond their duty and goes back
> in harms way...there comes a point where that isnt
> patriotism..or duty..it's selfish behavior.


Vince, you are really talking out of your ass on this one, and it isn't because I think (or care if) you are anti-military. People who sign up for multiple tours do it because they feel an obligation to their unit. It might be seen as selfish from the standpoint of the family, but the individual isn't doing it to "find themselves." They are doing it because they are thinking they are letting the members of their unit down if they don't. It is group-think, not selfishness.

Until you've been there, in their shoes, please shut the fuck up.

I humbly disagree...there is duty for something other then country...it's family. Military families put up with many hardships to support there fighting member. At some point the fighting member needs to think of his faamily before his own feelings of responsibilities to his comrades. Sorry...at some point it is nothing more then selfishness to do otherwise.

496 Wrote:
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> Until you've been there, in their shoes, please
> shut the fuck up.

No! Sorry..if you disagree...but control your anger. Though your reaction is interesting...you certainly had little sympathy for people mourning the death of an overdose victim! Obviously when pain hits closer to home you feel it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2008 07:12PM by Vince(1).

WashingToneLocian Wrote:
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> Vince(1) Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > My remark was not anti-military...I respect the
> > military greatly. But when someone has done
> thier
> > duty....above and beyond their duty and goes
> back
> > in harms way...there comes a point where that
> isnt
> > patriotism..or duty..it's selfish behavior.
>
>
> Vince, you are really talking out of your ass on
> this one, and it isn't because I think (or care
> if) you are anti-military. People who sign up for
> multiple tours do it because they feel an
> obligation to their unit. It might be seen as
> selfish from the standpoint of the family, but the
> individual isn't doing it to "find themselves."
> They are doing it because they are thinking they
> are letting the members of their unit down if they
> don't. It is group-think, not selfishness.

Many a man...has thought that the way to prove or find his manhood was on the battlefield.

Vince(1) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My remark was not anti-military...I respect the military greatly. But when someone has done thier duty....above and beyond their duty and goes back
> in harms way...there comes a point where that isnt patriotism..or duty..it's selfish behavior.

WashingToneLocian said it best "Vince, you are really talking out of your ass on this one"
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nope...I said nothing wrong nor disrespectful nor stupid!

Vince(1) Wrote:
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> nope...I said nothing wrong nor disrespectful nor
> stupid!


Just incredibly ill-informed and naive.

Well let me say I have broken one of the rules I try go by...and that is to think I know what motivates others. Undoubtedly the soldiers...the thrill seekers have more then one motivation for what they do, For one person it may be selfishness that drives them...for another a lack of selfishness. I just wanted to make the point that people who put themselves in life threatening situations should, in my opinion, put their motiviations secondary to family needs and feelings...especially when in the case of soldiers they have more then done their duty. Does it make me angry when I hear of thrill seekers and soldiers who have been killed by their actions? yes it does..and sometimes that anger is toward the person killed who left a young one or a parent behind as a result of taking unnecesary risks.

Undoubtedly, this statement will cause someone to get upset...my apologies.

vince, you really need to learn when to

  /\
  ||

o noz, threat of violence!


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Thanks for ruining this thread about a great book. Go start your own Army threads.
I want those cute puppies in the photo.

Gravis...you are the last person I'll ever take advice from.

TRICKIE Wrote:
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> Thanks for ruining this thread about a great book.
> Go start your own Army threads.
> I want those cute puppies in the photo.


This is not the thread on books...

Vince(1) Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well let me say I have broken one of the rules I
> try go by...and that is to think I know what
> motivates others. Undoubtedly the soldiers...the
> thrill seekers have more then one motivation for
> what they do, For one person it may be
> selfishness that drives them...for another a lack
> of selfishness. I just wanted to make the point
> that people who put themselves in life threatening
> situations should, in my opinion, put their
> motiviations secondary to family needs and
> feelings...especially when in the case of soldiers
> they have more then done their duty. Does it make
> me angry when I hear of thrill seekers and
> soldiers who have been killed by their actions?
> yes it does..and sometimes that anger is toward
> the person killed who left a young one or a parent
> behind as a result of taking unnecesary risks.
>
> Undoubtedly, this statement will cause someone to
> get upset...my apologies.


I'm not upset. However, if you are in your 20s, which I think you probably are, you should be thankful for those selfish people. If it weren't for guys volunteering to go in three or four times, odds are there would be a draft right now and you wouldn't have the choice to be "selfish."

>> if you are in your 20s, which I think you probably are


Isn't Vince(1) a retiree?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2008 12:42PM by TheMeeper.

TheMeeper Wrote:
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> >> if you are in your 20s, which I think you
> probably are
>
>
> Isn't Vince(1) a retiree?


Is he really? What the FUCK his wrong with him then?

TRICKIE Wrote:
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> Thanks for ruining this thread about a great book.
> Go start your own Army threads.
> I want those cute puppies in the photo.

Agreed -
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