The Inspirational Journey

I have just recently watched Into The Wild, a film by Sean Penn, which told the real life journey of 23 year old Christopher McCandless, who left his home to travel across the country and live in the wild. Without giving you much of the film, i just want to say that this movie is really, really inspirational. I don't know what is it about me that always somewhat amazed by the idea of going on a journey or a road trip alone, and for some time just disconnected to the world you live in, and the society you're in now.

I can't help but noticing that McCandless is just one of the product of modern society, he did what his parents told him to, he went to college, graduate, and possibly looking for a job afterwards. This is exactly what we are told to do, i mean "we" in the context of young people who are finishing their latter stage of education. I can see myself doing that in the next 2 years. Probably i'll be doing some boring job behind the desk in a couple of years from now, and rot slowly behind that desk for the next 3 or 4 decades. This is what McCandless see, but the difference is, he did something about it. He didn't want to spend his life worrying about making money, or do as he told, he simply want to explore the world and blend with nature. He didn't really like being at home, his parents are not the best parents in the world, so he wanted to get out of his life and do something new in his life.

What i envy about McCandless is that he was brave enough to leave everything he had behind, and just living his dreams. Doing what he wanted to do. I wish i have the courage to do that. I really wanted to do something like that. Just cut yourself from the world you know for some time, and live your dreams. McCandless has opened my eyes, and maybe a lot of people's eyes, that there is so much more in this world that you can see and do. I read in a couple of forums around the internet that mentioned McCandless was a fool to try live by himself in Alaskan forest, and that he died because of his own idiotic behaviour. I guess a lot of people kinda missed the point here. McCandless was living the life he wanted, He knew what the consequences are, but he is also a human being who made mistakes. It is our responsibility to learn from his experience and make the best of it.

I've been wanting to do some kind of soul searching road trip for quite a while now, and after seeing what McCandless did, I've become more motivated to do that. Someday, i promise myself.


"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greather joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." -- Chris McCandless

Rest in peace, Christopher J. McCandless