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The book makes the point you make. But I also saw the movie and it kinda glorifies McCandless making him more hero like. I was quite surprised how different the

by nekopa 7y ago

The book makes the point you make. But I also saw the movie and it kinda glorifies McCandless making him more hero like. I was quite surprised how different the feel of the movie was from the book.

mruts 7y ago
I mean, heroic is always a subset of dumb.
- exclusiv 7y ago
  I understand where you may be coming from but I disagree. If you have an economic perspective for the hero, yes, most of the time heroic is dumb (standing up for what's right to your own economic detriment, fighting a patent troll in court, risking your life for a stranger, etc). But being heroic is not about economics. It's almost precisely the point. Generally speaking, heroic is not dumb, but almost always requires a lot of risk. We consider people heros or heroines because they take on risk to do the right thing, which is often the thing the masses are unwilling to attempt and/or unable to accomplish. It certainly helps to accomplish, but most people will consider heroic acts those that take on a lot of risk to do the right thing despite the outcome.
ekianjo 7y ago
I don't think the movie makes him look like a hero. Rather, it tries to tell the story from his viewpoint, and it's far from heroic when he contemplates the mistakes he made and its inability to escape his adventure in Alaska.
scott_s 7y ago
I felt the book made that point quite well. I saw the trailers for the movie, and never saw it because I felt it would do exactly what you said. For the book's author, Jon Krakauer, the story is a personal one because he himself did stuff just as dangerous when he was younger. He tells a story of solo ice climbing when he almost died. I think Krakauer is fascinated by McCandless because he could have ended up the same way, and he's grateful that he didn't. Krakauer lived and adjusted to being an adult in our society. He grew up. That's what I find tragic about McCandless and the people idolizing him, and dying trying to follow his footsteps. I think that if McCandless had lived, he would have eventually adjusted to society as well.

by nekopa 7y ago

The book makes the point you make. But I also saw the movie and it kinda glorifies McCandless making him more hero like. I was quite surprised how different the feel of the movie was from the book.

mruts 7y ago

I mean, heroic is always a subset of dumb.

exclusiv 7y ago
I understand where you may be coming from but I disagree. If you have an economic perspective for the hero, yes, most of the time heroic is dumb (standing up for what's right to your own economic detriment, fighting a patent troll in court, risking your life for a stranger, etc). But being heroic is not about economics. It's almost precisely the point. Generally speaking, heroic is not dumb, but almost always requires a lot of risk. We consider people heros or heroines because they take on risk to do the right thing, which is often the thing the masses are unwilling to attempt and/or unable to accomplish. It certainly helps to accomplish, but most people will consider heroic acts those that take on a lot of risk to do the right thing despite the outcome.

ekianjo 7y ago

I don't think the movie makes him look like a hero. Rather, it tries to tell the story from his viewpoint, and it's far from heroic when he contemplates the mistakes he made and its inability to escape his adventure in Alaska.

scott_s 7y ago

I felt the book made that point quite well. I saw the trailers for the movie, and never saw it because I felt it would do exactly what you said. For the book's author, Jon Krakauer, the story is a personal one because he himself did stuff just as dangerous when he was younger. He tells a story of solo ice climbing when he almost died. I think Krakauer is fascinated by McCandless because he could have ended up the same way, and he's grateful that he didn't. Krakauer lived and adjusted to being an adult in our society. He grew up. That's what I find tragic about McCandless and the people idolizing him, and dying trying to follow his footsteps. I think that if McCandless had lived, he would have eventually adjusted to society as well.