I want to do what Chris Mccandless did...sort of
musicismylife78
Posts: 6,116
has anyone here done what he did, or wanted to do what he did, in a lesser manner. For instance, keep your money and id and whatnot, and instead of living primitive in alaska, maybe buying a backpack and tent and hitchhiking across america. buying a ticket to a destination on a greyhound, getting out, and the hitchhiking across america. One can emulate chris and his spirit and not do the living in alaska part right?
i am 25 and feel the pull of these desires. its something about this age, being in my twenties, its like we get restless feet, itchy feet or something. I am getting to the age where my friends talk about settling down. that scares the hell out of me. i have no desire to settle down right now, or ever.
For me, being happy, would be great, but maybe more important is a story. how many people lived life to the fullest like chris did? How many people would hitchhike across america? I want to feel like, when I die, I wont have regrets.
I have this fear that as I age, as I get older, this desire to live free, to travel, to find IT as kerouac would say, wont be an inspiration, but rather be a regret. I will be a 50 year old, wishing I had done all this. I am scared I will be some 80 year old grandpa, being asked by grandkids, "so grandpa what did you used to do", "oh kids, I was too scared to do anything, I settled down, gave up the ghost, gave up on my dreams, and became like THEM". Them, or they, is of course the masses, everyone else, the herd, the sheep.
I would be scared out of my mind, but is it feasible to do this? Spend the 300 bucks for a backpack and tent, and hit the local highway, thumb out, and travel across the U.S?
i am 25 and feel the pull of these desires. its something about this age, being in my twenties, its like we get restless feet, itchy feet or something. I am getting to the age where my friends talk about settling down. that scares the hell out of me. i have no desire to settle down right now, or ever.
For me, being happy, would be great, but maybe more important is a story. how many people lived life to the fullest like chris did? How many people would hitchhike across america? I want to feel like, when I die, I wont have regrets.
I have this fear that as I age, as I get older, this desire to live free, to travel, to find IT as kerouac would say, wont be an inspiration, but rather be a regret. I will be a 50 year old, wishing I had done all this. I am scared I will be some 80 year old grandpa, being asked by grandkids, "so grandpa what did you used to do", "oh kids, I was too scared to do anything, I settled down, gave up the ghost, gave up on my dreams, and became like THEM". Them, or they, is of course the masses, everyone else, the herd, the sheep.
I would be scared out of my mind, but is it feasible to do this? Spend the 300 bucks for a backpack and tent, and hit the local highway, thumb out, and travel across the U.S?
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
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I think travelling and seeing your country is a fabulous idea, the Chris Mccandless story aside, it is a great adventure and life changing to do something like that. The other thing I also think is important is to keep an open mind, this including "settling down" to me meeting someone and sharing your same interests with only adds to such an adventure in life in general. In the end Chris himself realised that it is all pointless without loved ones in your life. That said, get out there, dont live to regret something and have a ball enjoying and exploring life!
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ps. I meant to also add that good friends of mine have sold their house and most of their posessions and taken themselves and 5 kids on a camping tour of our country Australia, what a wonderful journey for them all, so i say do it if you have that desire!0
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I don't know who this Chris guy is, but I did this when I was 17 and 18. I traveled all over the US for 2 years.
I stayed in Fort Lauderdale and San Fransisco for a period of time. The rest of the time was mostly short visits.
I always thought I would do it again, after I raised my kids, but I am just too old to do it like I did back then...and times have changes and it isn't as easy or safe.
It was great back then though!!Save room for dessert!0 -
I highly recommend traveling around the country. I've done it three times myself. But keep in mind that you can also try something like being an Americorps Vista in several places, where you receive a stipend for working in underserved parts of each area you're in. That way, you can make a positive contribution to each community you choose to visit.
If you're interested in traveling abroad, I suggest the Peace Corps.It's nice to be nice to the nice.0 -
By the way, I had a friend of a friend join the Peace Corps in the 80s. He wanted to bring his guitar with him to his post and was told that he had to choose between having his guitar and having a bed......he chose the guitar.It's nice to be nice to the nice.0
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christ knows why you'd want to follow in his footsteps, the guy was a selfish moron.oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.0
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I am 25 and have been having these EXACT feelings for about two years. Money and possessions mean nothing to me, but the new memories, experiences, lessons, encounters could shape me as a person, a better person and I long for that. I have no responsibilies, except a job which is replacable. I just want to go. I really want to go to all of the national parks and explore the shit outta them and then move on to the next destination. I feel that once you are in a relationship, these things can't happen. They are sorta viewed as reckless activities... That is unless you find someone that has that same passion in them.
Just go. You can't live life with regrets from the past.0 -
alright fuck it , I'll say it.
while I think the whole thing sounds like it would be great and oh the stories you could tell.....
I live in a place where it's just not an option, the place is called reality. I wanted to do this when I was your age, but didn't. Do I regret it ? Not one bit. Had I done it, I would have missed out on a lot of things that mean a lot to me now. I would not have the relationship that I have with my nephews, who make me smile, and more proud than anything I could have ever done in my own life. That is true joy. I would not have the connection that I have with my sister and bro-in-law that I have now had I just got up and left when I wanted to do this when I was 20ish. I also would not have been around for the last years of my mothers life. That would be a huge regret.
This life is not some fucking movie, I live in the really real world of responsibilty, love, and family and friends. All of which would not be what they are now had I left to "see the world".
ed says " there is a lot to be said for nowhere" that's great. I agree to a point.
I say, " there is a lot to be said for security" securtiy other than financial. secure family, secure friendships. If that makes me a part of the herd, a sheep.....
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ( translate from sheep speak to "so fucking be it" )Peace, Love.
"To question your government is not unpatriotic --
to not question your government is unpatriotic."
-- Sen. Chuck Hagel0 -
Do it now, while you don't have the responsibilities of children or a career. I wish I would have enjoyed that time in my life more and appreciated the freedoms that went along with it. Not to say that having kids isn't amazing...but it's a grounded life. And It offers a different kind of satisfaction.05-10-06, 08-05-07, 06-14-08 , 08-12-08(EV), 06-11-09(EV), 06-12-09(EV), 08-21-09, 05-10-10, 09-11-11, 09-12-11, 07-16-13, 07-19-13, 10-12-13, 10-21-13, 10-22-13,0
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the wolf wrote:alright fuck it , I'll say it.
while I think the whole thing sounds like it would be great and oh the stories you could tell.....
I live in a place where it's just not an option, the place is called reality. I wanted to do this when I was your age, but didn't. Do I regret it ? Not one bit. Had I done it, I would have missed out on a lot of things that mean a lot to me now. I would not have the relationship that I have with my nephews, who make me smile, and more proud than anything I could have ever done in my own life. That is true joy. I would not have the connection that I have with my sister and bro-in-law that I have now had I just got up and left when I wanted to do this when I was 20ish. I also would not have been around for the last years of my mothers life. That would be a huge regret.
This life is not some fucking movie, I live in the really real world of responsibilty, love, and family and friends. All of which would not be what they are now had I left to "see the world".
ed says " there is a lot to be said for nowhere" that's great. I agree to a point.
I say, " there is a lot to be said for security" securtiy other than financial. secure family, secure friendships. If that makes me a part of the herd, a sheep.....
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ( translate from sheep speak to "so fucking be it" )
oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.0 -
the wolf wrote:alright fuck it , I'll say it.
while I think the whole thing sounds like it would be great and oh the stories you could tell.....
I live in a place where it's just not an option, the place is called reality. I wanted to do this when I was your age, but didn't. Do I regret it ? Not one bit. Had I done it, I would have missed out on a lot of things that mean a lot to me now. I would not have the relationship that I have with my nephews, who make me smile, and more proud than anything I could have ever done in my own life. That is true joy. I would not have the connection that I have with my sister and bro-in-law that I have now had I just got up and left when I wanted to do this when I was 20ish. I also would not have been around for the last years of my mothers life. That would be a huge regret.
This life is not some fucking movie, I live in the really real world of responsibilty, love, and family and friends. All of which would not be what they are now had I left to "see the world".
ed says " there is a lot to be said for nowhere" that's great. I agree to a point.
I say, " there is a lot to be said for security" securtiy other than financial. secure family, secure friendships. If that makes me a part of the herd, a sheep.....
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ( translate from sheep speak to "so fucking be it" )
I couldnt agree more. McCandliss died and Im sure being a lover of Life in any capacity means that actually living is the most importanat thing. I learned to live being mindful of the present no matter what or where you are...always wishing to the future is not a good thing.I sometimes wonder if they know that I'm gone...0 -
the wolf wrote:alright fuck it , I'll say it.
while I think the whole thing sounds like it would be great and oh the stories you could tell.....
I live in a place where it's just not an option, the place is called reality.
Yeah, I'm sorry. Perhaps I'm cynical, but I really agree with this sentiment. I think there is a lot to be said for some of the ideas McCandless embodied (i.e. shunning material wealth, getting to a place of simplicity and quiet, appreciating nature and man's place in it) but for all of the noble qualities he aspired to, dude had a lot of fucking problems. I think they have been pretty well covered here, so I won't rehash them.
I think aspiring to a life of simplicity and peace is a worthwhile and noble goal. I just think there are a lot better ways to go about that (i.e. Peace Corps as someone earlier mentioned...or hell, even a monastery or commune).0 -
Why can't people understand that not everyone wants the boring, monotonous, inadequate life that so many others have chosen? A bit ignorant?
Some people get off on routine, security, safety, unfulfilling relationships... Damn those that long for better, right?
I don't think not having a plan and disappearing from the world is wise, nor do I feel that the op wishes to that extreme. Doing things that Chris did is just being unprepared and plain stupid now. I think everyone is viewing it from the "let's move to fucking Alaska and live in the wilderness with next to nothing." I believe its the journey along the way and the relationships established that the op might be looking for and the freedom in it all. Not a death wish.Post edited by Ms. Wes C.addle on0 -
dude ... do it ... anyone on here who tells you not to or thinks mccandless was an idiot - doesn't understand what chris was about ... they probably have a wife and kids and a house and all the things that "society" told them they should have ...
it always should be about being true to yourself and who you are ... if that person wants to live a nomadic lifestyle for 1 week, 2 years or 50 years ... then you do it ...
if you live in the states - i think the best way is to get a car and camp ... there is BLM land everywhere where you can basically sleep for free ... find odd jobs in areas you want to spend more time ... forge relationships and learn from your experiences ... it'll be a wonderful thing ...0 -
ms. wes c.addle wrote:Why can't people understand that not everyone wants the boring, monotonous, inadequate life that so many others have chosen? A bit ignorant?
Some people get off on routine, security, safety, unfulfilling relationships... Damn those that long for better, right?
I don't think not having a plan and disappearing from the world is wise, nor do I feel that the op wishes to that extreme. Doing things that Chris did is just being unprepared and plain stupid now. I think everyone is viewing it from the "let's move to fucking Alaska and live in the wilderness with next to nothing." I believe its the journey along the way and the relationships established that the op might be looking for and the freedom in it all. Not a death wish.
Rawr! You're feisty!
I see what you mean though. I think this is just a topic that hits close to home because, well, it has everything to do with the basics of how you choose to live your life. And as I've learned from being around so many people who have different viewpoints than me on fucking everything...sometimes you just have to agree to disagree.
But yeah, like you said...the relationships you establish along the way (whichever way that might be) are the key to everything.0 -
polaris_x wrote:dude ... do it ... anyone on here who tells you not to or thinks mccandless was an idiot - doesn't understand what chris was about ... they probably have a wife and kids and a house and all the things that "society" told them they should have ...
I do understand what he was about... selfishness.
He put his parents and his sister through untold mental anguish for a belief only he wanted to fulfill. The guy was an arrogant loser.
oh and by the way, i want a house, wife and kids because i do.. I want a family that i can love daily and a house I can see them grow up in... what i didnt fancy was causing my parents and my sisters to spend months worried about me because i decided it would be a good idea to go fucking mountain climbing in a pair of sandals. :thumbup:oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.0 -
dunkman wrote:I do understand what he was about... selfishness.
He put his parents and his sister through untold mental anguish for a belief only he wanted to fulfill. The guy was an arrogant loser.
oh and by the way, i want a house, wife and kids because i do.. I want a family that i can love daily and a house I can see them grow up in... what i didnt fancy was causing my parents and my sisters to spend months worried about me because i decided it would be a good idea to go fucking mountain climbing in a pair of sandals. :thumbup:
his sister understood what he was about ... he is selfish and an arrogant loser only in your eyes ... do you think that everyone who got to meet him think that way? ... i'm pretty sure not ...
he died because he got the wrong information from a field guide ... that is it ... who's to say where his life would be if he had gotten better information ... chance can play havoc in all our lives ... you can decide you want to goto a PJ show and die in a car crash ... are you selfish for wanting to go to a show and causing grief to your family?0 -
I believe that I read the same thing as the next, but yet I must have missed the part where the op said that he hated his family and wanted to abandon all that he cares for and go die on a frozen mountain...
Bunch of ignorant fucks here this monday morning.
There is nothing wrong to want to experience new things or not living life by the norms of society...0 -
Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.... :?0
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And with these two statements aren't you just as guilty of ignorance as the people you're arguing against?ms. wes c.addle wrote:Why can't people understand that not everyone wants the boring, monotonous, inadequate life that so many others have chosen? A bit ignorant?
Some people get off on routine, security, safety, unfulfilling relationships... Damn those that long for better, right?0
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