4 ms·

In many ways the article feels like it's documenting kids with the freedom to have an opinion. Looking at the pictures in the article, it feels like a pretty un

In many ways the article feels like it's documenting kids with the freedom to have an opinion. Looking at the pictures in the article, it feels like a pretty uniform demographic. And in New York City, no less. Also, they idolize Chris McCandless - he was also a child of privilege who wanted to reject society. Chris didn't have to die but he did because he went up to Alaska woefully unprepared. That doesn't make his death any less tragic, of course. I guess my point is that this phenomenon is not anything new, if anything we've just gotten for enough into the 21st century that the 1970s ethic is making a comeback.

LarryMullins 4y ago
> Also, they idolize Chris McCandless - he was also a child of privilege who wanted to reject society. Idolizing McCandless is such an odd thing; Alaska is filled with people who rejected their past lives like he did, but who didn't die because they had more humility and respect for the land.
- poopiokaka 4y ago
  Lol I can’t imagine judging kids this hard. You’re doing great
  - LarryMullins 4y ago
    His death wasn't a freak accident, it was a predictable consequence of him going into Alaska unprepared. He shot a moose and let it rot because he didn't know better and didn't bother to learn first. This was hubris; Alaska is not the place to fake it until you make it. Anyway, my critique of McCandless is mild, talk to some Alaskans if you want to hear some proper vitriolic criticism of him. I barely scratched the surface by accusing him of hubris. If you mean my criticism of teens idolizing McCandless, I don't know what to tell you. He isn't a good role model. There are obviously worse role models, but he isn't a good one.
    - poopiokaka 4y ago
      Nice. Nah I was talking about you generally roasting teens in comments on this thread. Just seems weird. Maybe you are a teen and it’s not? Idk who cares I guess
      - LarryMullins 4y ago
        I really have no idea what you're on about. In this thread I have discussed: my suspicion that most teens are not as performative as those who get interviewed by the NYTimes, my preference for boots, my theory on TV shows outlasting their quality, my belief that children are better off without smartphones, and my criticism of McCandless. Where is the roasting of teens? The closest I've come to roasting teens is saying that teens idolizing McCandless is 'odd'.
hcknwscommenter 4y ago
I think the Krakauer book does a great job of describing the nuances of McCandless's level of preparedness. Of course maybe the author has a bias, but it certainly doesn't seem that way to me. McCandless was fairly unlucky despite having done quite a bit to prepare and try to ensure success. He ate a plant that was categorized as edible in a respected source book, but the actual part that he ate (in the season that he ate it) was poisonous. Once that happened and he realized what was going on, all his prior efforts to make sure he would remain isolated (including dubious choices like not bringing a map) spelled his doom. To me, McCandless made a conscious choice to try to live off the land without help. That is also a conscious choice to die if things go too wrong. Did he want to die? I don't think so, but he had to know it was a distinct and not-so-insignificant likelihood. I think I would NEVER do something like that. But was McCandless woefully unprepared? I personally don't think so. I am aware that I might have a minority opinion on that, because he did die.
- ghaff 4y ago
  Without commenting on McCandless in particular, pretty much every mountaineering accident report as well points out things that, had they been done differently, would have led to a better outcome. This becomes less true as you know you're going to be pushing limits if you go to climb K2. But lack of preparation or just shouldn't have gone out that day are pretty common themes.

LarryMullins 4y ago

> Also, they idolize Chris McCandless - he was also a child of privilege who wanted to reject society. Idolizing McCandless is such an odd thing; Alaska is filled with people who rejected their past lives like he did, but who didn't die because they had more humility and respect for the land.

poopiokaka 4y ago
Lol I can’t imagine judging kids this hard. You’re doing great
- LarryMullins 4y ago
  His death wasn't a freak accident, it was a predictable consequence of him going into Alaska unprepared. He shot a moose and let it rot because he didn't know better and didn't bother to learn first. This was hubris; Alaska is not the place to fake it until you make it. Anyway, my critique of McCandless is mild, talk to some Alaskans if you want to hear some proper vitriolic criticism of him. I barely scratched the surface by accusing him of hubris. If you mean my criticism of teens idolizing McCandless, I don't know what to tell you. He isn't a good role model. There are obviously worse role models, but he isn't a good one.
  - poopiokaka 4y ago
    Nice. Nah I was talking about you generally roasting teens in comments on this thread. Just seems weird. Maybe you are a teen and it’s not? Idk who cares I guess
    - LarryMullins 4y ago
      I really have no idea what you're on about. In this thread I have discussed: my suspicion that most teens are not as performative as those who get interviewed by the NYTimes, my preference for boots, my theory on TV shows outlasting their quality, my belief that children are better off without smartphones, and my criticism of McCandless. Where is the roasting of teens? The closest I've come to roasting teens is saying that teens idolizing McCandless is 'odd'.

hcknwscommenter 4y ago

I think the Krakauer book does a great job of describing the nuances of McCandless's level of preparedness. Of course maybe the author has a bias, but it certainly doesn't seem that way to me. McCandless was fairly unlucky despite having done quite a bit to prepare and try to ensure success. He ate a plant that was categorized as edible in a respected source book, but the actual part that he ate (in the season that he ate it) was poisonous. Once that happened and he realized what was going on, all his prior efforts to make sure he would remain isolated (including dubious choices like not bringing a map) spelled his doom. To me, McCandless made a conscious choice to try to live off the land without help. That is also a conscious choice to die if things go too wrong. Did he want to die? I don't think so, but he had to know it was a distinct and not-so-insignificant likelihood. I think I would NEVER do something like that. But was McCandless woefully unprepared? I personally don't think so. I am aware that I might have a minority opinion on that, because he did die.

ghaff 4y ago
Without commenting on McCandless in particular, pretty much every mountaineering accident report as well points out things that, had they been done differently, would have led to a better outcome. This becomes less true as you know you're going to be pushing limits if you go to climb K2. But lack of preparation or just shouldn't have gone out that day are pretty common themes.