I lived in Alaska for 3 years. This young man lost his life because he did not prepare. The summers in Alaska are heaven and the winters are hell. A tragedy that did not have to happen.
Lived in Anchorage for 2 years. The wilderness is far more dangerous than most think; it'll get you even when prepared, going in when experienced people advise against it is borderline delusional.
I also lived in anchorage (and Sitka) for five years. Even living in the city in the winter is difficult and takes some preparation. It’s so easy to have a romantic idea of what Alaska is like. Living in Alaska isn’t easy. Chris was naive.
Yes he was just full of romantic ideas of living off the land. Its all very well running away from issues, but unless you're on a death wish, even fully prepared, I would not go and hide out in Alaska during winter.... NO WAAAAY! Hungry predators, lack of survival skills and eating, no foragable food and a freezing cold bus, no no thank you!
Ditto. I used to say "it SEEMS to be the case that IF...THEN..." which still a lot of people appear to hear as too concrete a claim & not conditional or open to revision. "I'm only speculating here & not diagnosing/declaring just hypothesising what might be happening in a situation like this" has become the start of almost all my sentences in common & professional parlance that aren't just requests & has reduced miscommunication and misunderstandings a lot. Extra helpful to end with a reminder that it's only speculation based on what can be observed & is therefore inconclusive, so they still don't walk away with the wrong impression (Especially if they operate on a faith based epistemology). Also, in considering this, I need this on a shirt to save me some time lol. If Dr Grande makes some ill 100% buy
I watched the movie 'Into the Wild' twice, with wildly varying reactions. Once while in college, and once after backpacking the JMT. While in college, I romanticized McCandless, saw him as a hero, an outlier. The second time, I saw him as immature. Just two weeks in the wilderness had taught me gratitude for society, lightbulbs, grocery stores, etc. You don't know what you have til it's gone - damn right.
I hiked Mount Whitney with 2 guys who had beginners hiking experience, but we prepared with altitude sickness pills, not bring too much and use the water filter for natural water sources. They both didn’t make it to the top while I did, but it was grueling for all of us and fun at the same time.
I was a resident of the State of Alaska for 17 years. I remember the news about Chris. Everybody thought that it was an insane thing he did by not having the necessary provisions to survive in the wilderness.
I am a therapist who was born and raised in Alaska. I must emphasize that it is very easy to die in AK. Beyond predators, the terrain and weather can be unpredictable and punishing. I have personally talked to many people from the Lower 48 who have romanticized McCandless' death, but his death was easily preventable. If you decide to visit Alaska, please take reasonable steps to be safe; the state has many state and national parks that visitors can enjoy safely.
@@HkFinn83 Alaska is indescribably beautiful, I highly recommend a visit. Summer only though and watch out for bears--Anchorage area had three fatal predatory black bear attacks the last summer I was up (2017). I live in Oregon now and miss it (but not enough to put up with nine month winters again).
Is why i forbid this story for my kid, she's 14 now so we'll see how much longer i can control this. I'm deathly afraid of this sort of influence. I'm happy you stayed in your path.
Ali living I read this book at 14. I didn’t see it as a story I wanted to emulate. I mean, take a look at how Chris’s life ended. He started with an ok idea, but was extremely ill prepared and it cost him his life. If anything, it can give the lesson of being well prepared for any serious life changes.
No friend, you just let the world change your mind. In this life, you make your own choices, no one forces you to follow in the footsteps of any one, and when you do, can not blame the outcome on the former. He died in Christ, and because He acknowledged Christ, he will live forever. I have nothing bad to say about this man, in fact, I feel we may have more in common than not.
@@aliliving7774 i grew up in that state. I got accidentally lost as a kid in a forest and it was frightening. But I never get lost when prepared. Please consider teaching your kid the basics of orienting and using the compass. (These days you can bring satellite GPS units that work anywhere.) But it might be a fun activity for your family . :)
After reading the book , I found him to be more a young man who was unprepared & with out knowledge to survive in the wilderness . Instead of thinking of him as a hero, I felt sorry for his family's loss. Thank you Dr.Grande, great video as always !
I disagree with Doc on this one. He was a very young man and their frontal lobes aren't fully formed which makes them prone to stupid risk taking. It's probable that he would have grown more cautious about his risk taking with age. It also sounds like his dad's betrayal to his mother had affected him deeply and maybe he didn't feel he had much to live for.
@@robk2257 he was a total idiot and his parents never called him out on his bullshit. ... and he was the type who ran with it. ...... couldn’t hang the hinges for a shit house door but he was going to survive in Alaska.... sure. ..... 🤦♀️
@@robk2257 true. Tis a fact young men make all kinds of stupid choices. Jon Krakauer includes his own experiences as a young man that were very similar to McCandless in the book. He too, made bad choices and was underprepared, but for whatever Krakauer lived to tell his story. He also tells stories of young men very similar to McCandless.
@@ladyluck5248 If youv'e never had a parent who is, or had first hand and on going and been the target of a sociopath / psychopath. It can be very hard to understand just how much this can f_ _k a person over even if you follow channels like this. I can understand ownly to well how he could have made bad decisions later in his life because of the way he was treated by his parents as he was growing up.
I always thought he had some sort of PTSD from constant stress of living with his family for his whole childhood and was more of an introvert...wanting to shut the world out and finally have some peace.
Love Dr Grande, but on that one I wished he had called it more clearly out as alcoholism. I feel so bad for that McCandless kid. It is no joke growing up with alcoholics.
Here in TH-cam there's a documentary by his sister. It sheds light to the history of abuse and violence by his father. It's pretty eye-opening. Everyone reacts differently to a tough family history, it's sad his took him on a road that led to his too early death.
I’ve been binging Dr. Grande videos. I was hospitalized with covid for a month and now I’m home recovering in bed. These videos entertain and also educate on mental health. Thanks for all the amazing content and great humor!
After spending half my twenties idolizing people like McCandless and Jim Morrison, I realize that they were not good people to emulate. Jim Morrison was dangerous to himself and others despite being a great artist.
I think "Into the Wild" is an inspiring story, but that most people miss the most important takeaway. He spent his last days seeking to be away from people due to his own trauma, falsely believing he would survive on his own, but only when nearing death did he realize his truth: "Happiness is only real when shared". He even admitted his most treasured experiences were the people he met along the way. ♥
terrible movie and not inspirational story at all. he was aggorant and thought he was better than everyone. zero knowlege or trainining to do what he tried amd he had plenty of time to figure that out andnturn around. he was ignorant and hard headed. entitled rich kid thinks hes able to do anything he wants and learns his lesson. its not an uncommon story. dont romantisize him or his actions or words.
He wasn't an fool, he just wanted to get away because of the problems at home. Here on TH-cam is his sister's documentary. He sheds light on the history of his father's abuse and violence. It quite opens my eyes. Everyone reacts differently to the difficult family history, it is sad that he took him on the path that led to his too early death.
I’ve read a biography about Chris and seen the movie Into the Wild. I was so frustrated that he was so careless with his life. He didn’t take any advice from others and in the end his carelessness caused his sisters much grief and sadness. I don’t consider him a hero.
I completely agree. Causing your family that much hurt is never heroic. It's mean and heartless. There are ways he could have done this and not initially Hurt oyhers
@@charmainelouie5314 I don’t think his dream was to starve to death. All I’m saying is that what he did was selfish, his family suffered because of his failure to educate himself and plan well.
Agreed! I don’t understand how this aspect of his psyche has not been given more attention. I believe it has everything to do with his lack of care for himself and reckless behaviour, so sad
Yes. His Trust was irrevocably destroyed. My father was a family-destroying philanderer and my mother 'the other woman'. It wasn't until teens that my 3 older siblings were disclosed. It Broke my ability to Trust, I have ZERO Respect for the Morals and Values they were bent on instilling, because they had NONE! Its laughable, really. The feeling of Betrayal is almost unbearable, because you realize that he threw away his 3 children, what's to stop him from throwing ME away?
Much respect to you, Dr. Grande. I imagine you put in quite the number of hours to produce this free content. We need more people online who provide objective analyses, such as yourself. Take care!
Being the child of an alcoholic is almost always creates chaos in your life. They destroy everything you need to become a functioning member of society. I think you described Chris perfectly in that he really was bouncing around his life without any direction or plan. He needed a community that could steady him and stop the disordered thinking in his head. His death was a tragic but inevitable end when you stumble out into nature unprepared with only dreams in your head.
He needed a community he could count on that was genuine; values were important to him, he did need to be out in the open, perhaps he could have been an organic farm hand. Why would you say not empathetic??? nah, I don’t agree with your diagnosis. some folks just can’t live in the city.
I always wondered why he didn't want to stay in slab city (if that was the name). From the way the movie portraied him, he generally didn't seem too interested in the people he met along the way.
When I read this book when it came out, I knew a few adults and someone in their 20s that had been in and out of facilities his whole young life for being bipolar. There were behaviors and actions described in the book of Mr. McCandless that reminded me of the people I knew would do...not diagnosing anything, it just struck me at the time, particularly burying things at various locations like cash and being crazy altruisic with giving things away to feel exilarated
Leaving one's mode of transportation and financial resources to flee to an extremely harsh unforgiving climate alone not being organized about anything feeling like they can take on the world unrealisrically has nothing to do with Christianity and everything ti do with mental illness. I'm a Christian and have had bipolar people in my life. I'm not criticizing him just seeing things I've observed in my life
I’ve always felt that Chris was foolish - perhaps due to being overly confident. He also seemed to be impulsive and unable to weigh risks and consequences. I wonder if, by the time he decided to hike out, he was having trouble (or more trouble) with distorted thinking. To me it seems logical that he should have hiked along the river in both directions just to see if he could find a way across or some help.
Starvation can do a number on your brain's ability to function. Reasoning and planning (2 of the brain's executive functions) are among the first to become impaired. In the early 2000's a young couple became so impaired that they froze to death along a highway, several hundred feet from their car. The car still had over 1/4 tank of fuel and additional clothing inside it. In this case the cause of the brain changes was different than starvation, it was the first time they had tried meth. They even contacted 911 but were so disoriented that they couldn't effectively communicate their location. They got landmarks and street names wrong. They were within sight of a farmhouse with people inside, but mistook the cows they saw for hostile humans that wouldn't didn't speak English. I really really wonder how this played out with Chris. His brain could have prevented him from generating more ideas on how to get out. Maybe he couldn't effectively form a multi-step plan.
That also had me wondering - why didn't he just continue along the river to see if he could cross somewhere else? Maybe he thought the river would carry less water soon so he just wanted to wait it out in the bus. The movie mentions that he had always been afraid of water. But we'll never know. What I didn't understand is why he never contacted anyone, not even his sister.
I have always surmised that this young mans reckless uncaring attitude towards himself was the result of his insensitive, unloving and dysfunctional upbringing. He needed to be as far away from them and their lifestyle as possible and had never been taught how to care for himself on a deeper level
People with bi-polar depression do flirt with death a lot. Even while manic. Like the guy who impulsively stole a plane at Sea-Tac. You can hear it in his voice the whole time, he's manic, but depressed as hell too. A passenger in his own head.
To add to this, I feel like he also made this decision out of rebellion. It seemed like he came from a family of high expectations and he exiled himself into the wild to pursue freedom. I too come from a family like that, and whenever my stress is humongous, I find myself subconsciously wanting to go extreme ways just to revolt... idk I kinda feel for this man
Right, that also explains why he'd choose to do something as boring as working for Burger King in California. It was such a stark contrast to his family's expectations so it felt like rebellion to him.
He kinda does already. He's gone through a number of disorders and outlined the possible criteria. Maybe a Patreon request could be to add F-Codes to his scripts?
I think he was somewhat in-between. He had admirable qualities as well as flaws. I think that his experiences were meaningful to him, which gave them some worth, but I think that he could have had experiences that were equally meaningful without taking such risks. I enjoy going outdoors, and sometimes do camping trips in national forests where I'm alone and have to rely on myself. I find these experiences meaningful. However, I always tell people where I'm going, and when I expect to be back, in case danger arises. I sometimes drift a bit in life, but I also am able to maintain my social responsibilities and ties to other people. McCandless glorified freedom, which is a nice thing to have, but I think he died before he really matured. Maybe if he had lived longer, he would have become a wiser person. He was clearly resourceful and strong willed. I think it's a shame that the extremes of his positive qualities weren't balanced out by more common sense.
When I was seventeen, I idolized him. Now, as an adult, I see where he went wrong. His motivation and his story are very relatable, but he was deeply misguided. Mercifully, as an adult, I've traveled all over the country and gotten the same thrills without getting myself killed. Someday I hope to see more. Thanks to the cautionary tale of McCandless, I always go prepared.
@@sheepdog03 Who am I to judge? Somebody who, like McCandless, regularly travels in search of self-discovery. And somebody who, unlike him, isn't dead.
@@sheepdog03 Well, in the case of self-discovery, it's really something you only enjoy while alive. I don't think McCandless was suicidal. But who knows. It seems like his death wasn't intended.
@@thoughtfuldevil6069 I think he was subconsciously very self-destructive and unable to be happy, therefore all of that "discovering himself" and spirituality. He was desperately searching for something which would bring him inner peace and happiness. But he had opportunities and didn´t see them, like with his hippe friends. Or with his sister who cared about him a lot but he went away selfishly and she was left stressed, which IMHO doesn´t make him much better than the selfish, money and power-hungry types he despised.
@@sheepdog03 The point is that I'm smart enough to prepare myself when I go out into the wilderness. Chris wasn't. That's how he got himself killed by starvation/poisoning.
This book and movie bring me to absolute sobs every time. Don McClean's song Vincent kind of describes Chris, too. Naive and suffering. I was glad when his sister decided to give the story of disfunction behind her brother's folly. She felt a sense of responsibility.
Travis Walton could be an interesting profile to do , the guy who claimed to have been abducted by aliens and was the subject of the 1993 Fire In The Sky movie; recently on JRE
@@alwaysflushinpublic Perhaps not the best idea to publish one's life on the internet for everyone to want to opine on. I think it may be better to stay quiet, humble, neutral and to keep speculating instead of diagnosing to continue growing a good channel.
My personal feeling after seeing the movie about him and reading JK's book is what a sad waste of a life with such potential. I find it sad that so many young people have mistakenly romanticized the tragedy of Chris's life choices and terrible end as if it's something to be emulated. What he really needed was in depth counseling to resolve the anger and bitterness he felt towards his parents. Sadly, think Chris found out too late that he needed more than time alone, but by then he was unable to leave the place he found himself. For all of Chris's intelligence, he was unable to think outside the box of his surroundings, and perhaps by then was too weak physically to seek a way out. Yes, Chris should be remembered, not as a hero, but instead as a warning of what NOT to do. Life is more precious than you can imagine, you only have one.
His parents put the money into a fund for him. He had just graduated from college and was going to study law. They offered to buy him a brand new car but he did not want it.
Thank you for this analysis, Dr. Grande. I agree, Chris McCandless appeals to the free spirit in us all. His is such a poignant story of a young man who was well-intended yet not well prepared.
I live on an island and a young fellow came sailing in on a tiny catamaran with no water or food - he had just had an adventure to the outer reefs. He was very relieved to be safely back here - hungry and thirsty - he had wanted to go and live wild off the sea - when he told me his name, I replied "I know what your name is - "Alexander Supertramp". He knew exactly what I was saying. There are a lot of Alexander Supertramps out there - I'm not surprised some don't make it - I'm just surprised that so many do survive. They are full of life and adventure and real characters and they get away from the screens and have a go.
I loved the movie. I would think tho, that maybe the electrician could have checked on him and informed other people about him. Very sad, even wonder if he had a mild mental disability. (?)
Also, Dr. Grande, can you analyze the Christian missionary guy that tried to bring religion to that small Sentinelese island and was killed in the process? I’ll go look up his name. His name was John Allen Chau
@@Leadfoot_P71 the worst of it is they eat you while you’re still alive. Starting with the intestines. That’s what’s they eat first because they’re nutritious. Via the rectum. That’s the last thing I’d want, to have the intestines eaten via the rectum. That sounds extremely uncomfortable.
@@Leadfoot_P71 why don’t these people take up a hobby like gardening or something instead of playing with bears and eating poison berries in an old truck?
Coming from a town of "back to the land" type hippies/proto hippies (they started in the depression) most of them thought he was a moron too. City hippies for whom nature is a place they visit/dream about....yeah you're basically right.
I agree very much with your statements about the impact of his legacy - it is a sad truth that so many people idolize McCandless and have put themselves at risk in so doing.
Dr. Grande, I totally agree with your assessment. I've always found McCandless to be foolish and irresponsible. Like you said, he had options for escape and rescue. I find it hard to believe that he could have spent almost 100 days around the bus and not found the cabin, or the cable bridge that was close by. His irresponsibly and behavior towards others cost him his life.
I think McCandless' new authority was his Alaskan surroundings, dictating if he ate, stayed warm or even if he was able to beat the harsh winter. He wouldn't be told anything by anyone, and this included the weather, he stuck two fingers up to it and it got the better of him.... As it was bound to.
My opinion...I think that as humans, we have all felt sometimes that we just don’t belong. We have that feeling of being a square peg in a round hole. My belief is that Chris McCandless felt that way every day of his life. From my understanding, he had a chaotic childhood that wore him down. It intensified his feelings of being different. I think he was searching for peace, for belonging. He had so many opportunities to find it, yet it was elusive to him. He was neither stupid or a hero. Just a person who was looking for something he would probably never find.
@@runs_through_the_forest How does the amount of adventure define one´s happiness? It doesn´t and this boy was obviously chronically unable to be happy and was self-destructive.
@@runs_through_the_forest Where's the adventure? Hunting a little? Sleeping outdoors? Eating berries? He went hiking, stayed too long and ended up starving to death. That's not much of an adventure. Lots of people went hiking and returned alive, able to travel the world, see different places and cultures, maybe learn an unusual skill, meet different people ... they had a lot more of adventure than he did.
@@thatsalt1560 well yes indeed but wasn't he on the road, traveling and such for a while? i only saw the movie, which of course is a bit of a one sided view or romanticized i guess.. i've done a few hikes and i won't get myself killed like him thanks to being unprepared..
It almost seems like Chris was running away from something, someone, willing to take on any risks that came his way feeling whatever the risks might be, it was better than where he began his journey. He felt he had the strength to handle each as it came. I don’t believe he wanted to die, after all he did try to hike out of the wilderness when he realized how serious his situation had become. If he wanted to die, wouldn’t he have just stayed at the bus the entire time? Also there was the note asking for help, asking that whoever read the note to not just pass on by. The note wasn’t a suicide note nor did it read like someone who wanted to die. It was the opposite actually, it read like someone who very much wanted to survive. It would have been interesting if he had made it out or been rescued in time to see what he would have done next. After nearly starving to death, would he have found a bit of appreciation for the material things in life like money to buy warm clothes and food? Would he have gotten over a reckless lifestyle to live one more goal oriented and safer. Or did he want to get out of the inhospitable wilderness so he could gather up proper supplies to return yet again to his bus? We will never know what he realized, what he learned, in his last weeks of life. Maybe he was able to forgive his parents especially his father. Living with an alcoholic parent can prevent a child from having a firm foundation on which to build his life. This certainly seems to apply to Chris. I hope he found peace finally getting away from the demons from which he was fleeing. I hope he was able to forgive himself for in essence wasting the gifts he had, mentally and physically, and the life he was given. In the end I hope he found what he was seeking spiritually. If only he had made it to the cabin...he was just 6 miles short of having continued life...knowing that makes his story even more painfully sad. Thanks Dr Grande.
Oops I'm one of the alaskans that think he made a huge mistake, the bus ended up being a major tourist attraction stranding a lot of people on the way. Bus has been removed and put into a museum. Thanks for covering this I knew you would Moving the plants again :-)
Idealism. Possibly, idealism to the detriment of common sense, but the...”whatever” it takes, to live your life completely on your own terms, doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to me.
@@southerndiscomfort2412 nailed it. You see this general rejection of the importance of hard work and preparation in so much of the self help motivational material that's popular today. So many young guys think that working an average 9-5 is simply the product of a mentality or lack thereof. As if they can simply break free with their will alone. Skills, planning, saving money, nahh screw that. It's all about believing and conceiving etc.
I read this book a few years ago and then watched the movie. This was a sad story, it seems he was very depressed. He also hated his family and wanted to get away. I think because a very famous writer chose to write his story, he got legendary status.I think the narcissism you mention is interesting, he did seem to think he was smarter than everyone.
This is what I don't understand; yes, you hate your family. A family friend gave you a bit of cash. Take it and your degree and do this crazy thing called: set up a life for yourself. Don't go consign yourself to a horrible death. Poor bastard.
I adore your channel but these days I'm having even more fun watching the array of plants behind you change with each upload! I've read Into the Wild and his sister's book The Wild Truth, several times. Tragic upbringing and tragic ending for Chris Mccandless. Sad all around 🙁
I’ve just always seen this young man as altruistic with a heavy dose of arrogance. He ignored advice and assumed that he would conquer the natural elements and bend them to his will. That is a fool’s errand and he paid the ultimate price. Sad waste of young life.
If anyone has not seen “Into the wild” (Chris McCandless’ story) this movie and his story by Jon Kracaur and Carine McCandless is pretty amazing. I think he was a bit arrogant and a dreamer but he did something not a lot of people ever have the courage to do. He had no kids, no responsibilities so if that’s what he felt had to do, I’m sure he knew death was possible. To be so charitable and so bold is admirable. The self control, maturity and forgiveness may have come with time since was only in his early 20’s. For those of us with an explorer soul, sometimes you just have to take the journey. 🧭🗺
It was essentially a self aggrandizing form of suicide in his case though. He didn't possess any of the skills necessary to take those risks. He did no legitimate preparation. It was basically an adult version of a child running away from home with a stick and handkerchief knapsack. Thinking no further than the apples and loaf of bread he took with him. I think he should be a cautionary tale for people with the spirit you are describing. The true explorers aren't JUST the product that mentality. You are either REALLY about that life or not. If you're not don't kid yourself. You aren't doing anything but killing yourself in an unnecessarily long way.
I agree with your assessment regarding this individual. McCandless died needlessly driven by his arrogance, ignorance and woeful miscalculation of what it takes to survive off the grid. There is nothing romantic about his death, only tragic. I hope the lesson people take from his story is not to follow the same path. RIP Christopher McCandless 🙏
Thanks Dr. G this poor guy puzzles and makes me mad when someone holds him up as a role model and they become deceased. It's clearer now why he did this . His family was not there for him from the beginning I feel this gave him a more rebellious attitude and misguided actions toward liberation, I liked your anaylisis also. Mr Magoo Xmas carol was one of my fav A Christmas Carol movies. I just had to tell you cause not many people know of Magoo😊 Thanks for all your work on utube❤
Thank you Dr. Grande! Interesting analysis! I love all of your analyses. I'm learning so much by watching your videos. I always thought that I had a good "feel" about people but just went by the "vibe" I felt. When I listen to you explain the many speculations, I learn so much! I feel so sorry for Chris, he must have been so confused. He didn't have a very good start in life because of his childhood. Sounds like he was smart enough but not well prepared, skilled nor aware of what could happen in the wild. He must have become withdrawn and wanted peace, beauty and quietness. It must have been like wanting to be in heaven? He was a dreamer. He wanted to challenge himself, like he was self discipling. I never saw the movie nor read the book will be looking for it though. My heart goes out to him for his longing in life! Sad and touching.
Interesting analysis. This is one of my favorite stories; however, the book and the movie both seem to romanticize the story. I appreciate your straight-forward analysis including the notes that others thought he was ill-prepared for life in the wilderness. This wasn’t mentioned at all in the book/movie.
It is absolutely mentioned in the book and movie. Many people tried to convince him to prepare better, especially the man who dropped him off. I believe he convinced Chris to take his boots.
Wow, how very sad. I didn't know all of the details about his past. Or about the other woman who died. I hope people learn from this. Thank you for your insight as always Doc! 💜
Dear Dr. Grande .. Would You like to do an analysis of The Conway's strange family dynamics (Kellyanne Elizabeth Conway and George Thomas Conway III)? Especially, focusing on their public roles in politics and how it might affect their marriage and relationship with their four children. Thank you.
We spent thousands of years trying to escape the realities natural world. Once we escaped to our heated houses and our warm beds and we were able to gain easy access to food and water, some of us, like Chris McCandless, forgot what it was really like and wanted to go back to the wild completely, only to find it again: heat, cold, hunger, thirst, small things that want to live off of your flesh, big things that want to eat you completely, rock slides, floods, snowstorms, endless rain, scorching sun, all of it unconsciously beautiful and completely indifferent to your pain, suffering, or struggle. You are astoundingly insignificant. I like to hike in the woods a lot, but I always go home.
Most all people continue down the same path in life only wishing for something different. I admire McCandless for going against what is expected but he was foolish not being well prepared and making bad decisions along the way. He's not a role model per se but we can all learn from his good intentions.
Thank you Dr. Grande! I personally thought of him as a kind of folk hero in my adolescence- although I have had very serious bouts of depression throughout my life and thought perhaps leaving everything and having no attachments would be more conducive to happiness. But it's obvious that all that rejection can only come from some deep-seated hole deep down inside.
Omg, I just watched this movie for the first time 3 weeks ago and couldn't stop thinking about Chris. I have done some research and was actually watching it again when I got the notification! 😲
McCandless was really naive. If he'd read any Jack London novels he would have known what he was planning was a really bad idea. It gets cold in Alaska!
I don't think he was self-centered. I believe he was having an existential crisis and felt like society, and life itself, had lost meaning. He went out to seek answers and found his; notably, he did write that real happiness is when you share it with others. I believe he did not wander off just to get lost permanently, but to experience the world and return to civilization once he has accomplished that. He did, in the end, try to return.
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I lived in Alaska for 3 years. This young man lost his life because he did not prepare. The summers in Alaska are heaven and the winters are hell. A tragedy that did not have to happen.
Agreed even after he was told to prepare
So many people told him not to do it and that it wasn't safe. He ignored them thinking it would somehow be different for him
Lived in Anchorage for 2 years. The wilderness is far more dangerous than most think; it'll get you even when prepared, going in when experienced people advise against it is borderline delusional.
I also lived in anchorage (and Sitka) for five years. Even living in the city in the winter is difficult and takes some preparation. It’s so easy to have a romantic idea of what Alaska is like. Living in Alaska isn’t easy. Chris was naive.
Yes he was just full of romantic ideas of living off the land. Its all very well running away from issues, but unless you're on a death wish, even fully prepared, I would not go and hide out in Alaska during winter.... NO WAAAAY! Hungry predators, lack of survival skills and eating, no foragable food and a freezing cold bus, no no thank you!
As a RN, I have adopted the "speculating here, not diagnosing" into my daily lexicon.
Well ya, nurses cannot diagnose.
Only in a nursing care plan. 😏
Work in a hotel or I use it too LOL
Ditto. I used to say "it SEEMS to be the case that IF...THEN..." which still a lot of people appear to hear as too concrete a claim & not conditional or open to revision. "I'm only speculating here & not diagnosing/declaring just hypothesising what might be happening in a situation like this" has become the start of almost all my sentences in common & professional parlance that aren't just requests & has reduced miscommunication and misunderstandings a lot. Extra helpful to end with a reminder that it's only speculation based on what can be observed & is therefore inconclusive, so they still don't walk away with the wrong impression (Especially if they operate on a faith based epistemology). Also, in considering this, I need this on a shirt to save me some time lol. If Dr Grande makes some ill 100% buy
Great word LEXICON is
I love how Dr Grande does requests for us! This is one of the coziest corners of TH-cam for me which is awesome considering the material covered haha.
💙✌️
Same here
He's the 🐐
Agreed! God bless Dr. Grande. 🙏🏽
I know right?! 😁👍🏾
I watched the movie 'Into the Wild' twice, with wildly varying reactions. Once while in college, and once after backpacking the JMT. While in college, I romanticized McCandless, saw him as a hero, an outlier. The second time, I saw him as immature. Just two weeks in the wilderness had taught me gratitude for society, lightbulbs, grocery stores, etc. You don't know what you have til it's gone - damn right.
I hiked Mount Whitney with 2 guys who had beginners hiking experience, but we prepared with altitude sickness pills, not bring too much and use the water filter for natural water sources. They both didn’t make it to the top while I did, but it was grueling for all of us and fun at the same time.
Many people have actually died trying to imitate mccandleless and the bus he took shelter in. Eventually the bus was moved because of the deaths.
💯 my thoughts after seeing it twice, first at 22 and second 37.
I was a resident of the State of Alaska for 17 years. I remember the news about Chris. Everybody thought that it was an insane thing he did by not having the necessary provisions to survive in the wilderness.
I'm an Army veteran. It just baffles me people doing this stuff, when you can test yourself and what you can do and GET PAID FOR IT in the military.
I am a therapist who was born and raised in Alaska. I must emphasize that it is very easy to die in AK. Beyond predators, the terrain and weather can be unpredictable and punishing. I have personally talked to many people from the Lower 48 who have romanticized McCandless' death, but his death was easily preventable. If you decide to visit Alaska, please take reasonable steps to be safe; the state has many state and national parks that visitors can enjoy safely.
Even if you survive, you’re still in Alaska. There’s no winning.
@@HkFinn83 Alaska is indescribably beautiful, I highly recommend a visit. Summer only though and watch out for bears--Anchorage area had three fatal predatory black bear attacks the last summer I was up (2017). I live in Oregon now and miss it (but not enough to put up with nine month winters again).
@@junipersages yeh I’m not worried about bear attacks, I go everywhere with my pet hippo.
Pride kills more often than the wilderness.
@@HkFinn83 haha, I would love to see that!
I really admired him when I was younger. Now that I’m older, I’m glad I never tried to follow his lead.
Is why i forbid this story for my kid, she's 14 now so we'll see how much longer i can control this. I'm deathly afraid of this sort of influence. I'm happy you stayed in your path.
Ali living I read this book at 14. I didn’t see it as a story I wanted to emulate. I mean, take a look at how Chris’s life ended. He started with an ok idea, but was extremely ill prepared and it cost him his life. If anything, it can give the lesson of being well prepared for any serious life changes.
No friend, you just let the world change your mind. In this life, you make your own choices, no one forces you to follow in the footsteps of any one, and when you do, can not blame the outcome on the former. He died in Christ, and because He acknowledged Christ, he will live forever. I have nothing bad to say about this man, in fact, I feel we may have more in common than not.
@@aliliving7774 i grew up in that state. I got accidentally lost as a kid in a forest and it was frightening.
But I never get lost when prepared.
Please consider teaching your kid the basics of orienting and using the compass. (These days you can bring satellite GPS units that work anywhere.) But it might be a fun activity for your family . :)
I’m glad you didn’t....such a tragic story
After reading the book , I found him to be more a young man who was unprepared & with out knowledge to survive in the wilderness . Instead of thinking of him as a hero, I felt sorry for his family's loss. Thank you Dr.Grande, great video as always !
I disagree with Doc on this one. He was a very young man and their frontal lobes aren't fully formed which makes them prone to stupid risk taking. It's probable that he would have grown more cautious about his risk taking with age. It also sounds like his dad's betrayal to his mother had affected him deeply and maybe he didn't feel he had much to live for.
@@robk2257 he was a total idiot and his parents never called him out on his bullshit. ... and he was the type who ran with it. ...... couldn’t hang the hinges for a shit house door but he was going to survive in Alaska.... sure. ..... 🤦♀️
@@ladyluck5248 His parents were physically and emotionally abusive to him. He made bad decisions because he had bad options.
@@robk2257 true. Tis a fact young men make all kinds of stupid choices. Jon Krakauer includes his own experiences as a young man that were very similar to McCandless in the book. He too, made bad choices and was underprepared, but for whatever Krakauer lived to tell his story. He also tells stories of young men very similar to McCandless.
@@ladyluck5248 If youv'e never had a parent who is, or had first hand and on going and been the target of a sociopath / psychopath.
It can be very hard to understand just how much this can f_ _k a person over even if you follow channels like this.
I can understand ownly to well how he could have made bad decisions later in his life because of the way he was treated by his parents as he was growing up.
I always thought he had some sort of PTSD from constant stress of living with his family for his whole childhood and was more of an introvert...wanting to shut the world out and finally have some peace.
Had a narcissistic father and CMc was rebelling against all that was wrong with that!
i got that vibe too
That kind of stressor is also associated with the onset of bi-polar. Which comes on, about his age.
You could be right, something was driving him to live the way he did.
Northern Girl, l suspect you’re not far off. This is common when the majority of the voices in your head weren’t permitted to be your own.
"His father had difficulty regulating his intake of alcohil." That's very well put, Dr. Grande. I like that.
As a Canadian I thought he said it just fine 🙂
What’s alcohil ;)
Love Dr Grande, but on that one I wished he had called it more clearly out as alcoholism. I feel so bad for that McCandless kid. It is no joke growing up with alcoholics.
His father collected empty bottles
I don't know why society still counts "drug-related" crimes, but forgets to mention alcohol is involved in a huge percentage of them.
Here in TH-cam there's a documentary by his sister. It sheds light to the history of abuse and violence by his father. It's pretty eye-opening. Everyone reacts differently to a tough family history, it's sad his took him on a road that led to his too early death.
She wrote a book, too. I wonder if that doco was the same program that aired on my local PBS station; it was very good.
😢
@@sarah2.017 She did a TED talk too that was very informative.
Do you have a link?
@@melanie7466 It's called "Return to the Wild", you'll find it that way.
I’ve been binging Dr. Grande videos. I was hospitalized with covid for a month and now I’m home recovering in bed. These videos entertain and also educate on mental health. Thanks for all the amazing content and great humor!
Oh wow. I'm happy you're home now and hope you recover fully very quickly!!
hugs to you! Please take great care of yourself. This is a great way to spend your recovery time, away from news and anything else that is exhausting.
Hey, hope you continue to heal! Much love 😘🙏
I hope you feel better soon! 🤗
I am so glad you're feeling better covid-19 it's not something to mess around
After spending half my twenties idolizing people like McCandless and Jim Morrison, I realize that they were not good people to emulate. Jim Morrison was dangerous to himself and others despite being a great artist.
At least death wasn't Jim Morrison's only contribution that he left for posterity.
Alcohol had a lot to do with his downfall, crippled his body with it
Try jesus.
Steps to christ by ellen white.
The great controversy by ellen white.
All the best
@@mattluszczak8095 I mean looking at Jesus life objectively, remove the supernatural mumbo jumbo and he's a cautionary tale as well.
mr magoo was legally blind and would blindly walk into danger just like chris. mr magoo, like chris, had problems accepting his limitations
I think that comparison was unkind and disrespectful to Chris
I would say, he is more of the pathology of Waldo.
@@tracyfeldwick4311 and I found that comparison slighted Mr.Magoo
Mr Magoo dressed more fashionably
@@tracyfeldwick4311 I think the comparison was unkind and disrespectful to Dr Magoo! He lived....
I think "Into the Wild" is an inspiring story, but that most people miss the most important takeaway.
He spent his last days seeking to be away from people due to his own trauma, falsely believing he would survive on his own, but only when nearing death did he realize his truth:
"Happiness is only real when shared".
He even admitted his most treasured experiences were the people he met along the way.
♥
A good analysis, and think you're pretty much correct.
Exactly. He knew he fucked around and found out…but by then it was too late. Not a bad kid, just misguided and unprepared. RIP Chris
terrible movie and not inspirational story at all. he was aggorant and thought he was better than everyone. zero knowlege or trainining to do what he tried amd he had plenty of time to figure that out andnturn around. he was ignorant and hard headed. entitled rich kid thinks hes able to do anything he wants and learns his lesson. its not an uncommon story. dont romantisize him or his actions or words.
I tend to see him as an overly freedom/nature-romantic fool with more confidence than knowledge.
Very well put.
A very young fool
Me too. Could of just been his personality or possibly something like bipolar.
@@badcornflakes6374 yes, a really dumb fool.
He wasn't an fool, he just wanted to get away because of the problems at home. Here on TH-cam is his sister's documentary. He sheds light on the history of his father's abuse and violence. It quite opens my eyes. Everyone reacts differently to the difficult family history, it is sad that he took him on the path that led to his too early death.
I’ve read a biography about Chris and seen the movie Into the Wild. I was so frustrated that he was so careless with his life. He didn’t take any advice from others and in the end his carelessness caused his sisters much grief and sadness. I don’t consider him a hero.
Me neither, but think the author, Krakauer wanted to know what was driving McCandless to live the way he did, and risk his life.
I completely agree. Causing your family that much hurt is never heroic. It's mean and heartless. There are ways he could have done this and not initially Hurt oyhers
Same but then again he accomplished his dreams
@@charmainelouie5314 I don’t think his dream was to starve to death. All I’m saying is that what he did was selfish, his family suffered because of his failure to educate himself and plan well.
Meena H before Alaska
His early dysfunctional family parental upbringing is probably didn't help with his decision later in life
Yes, the second family came to light later... the story was more complex than the movie.
Agreed! I don’t understand how this aspect of his psyche has not been given more attention. I believe it has everything to do with his lack of care for himself and reckless behaviour, so sad
Yup. I'd guess his turning away from the world was strongly linked from trying desperately to turn away from an unbearable home life.
Yes. His Trust was irrevocably destroyed. My father was a family-destroying philanderer and my mother 'the other woman'. It wasn't until teens that my 3 older siblings were disclosed. It Broke my ability to Trust, I have ZERO Respect for the Morals and Values they were bent on instilling, because they had NONE! Its laughable, really. The feeling of Betrayal is almost unbearable, because you realize that he threw away his 3 children, what's to stop him from throwing ME away?
His sister gave a sympathetic TED Talk which shed light on his motivations
"A man's got to know his limitations."
- Dirty Harry
So true. 😮
Much respect to you, Dr. Grande. I imagine you put in quite the number of hours to produce this free content. We need more people online who provide objective analyses, such as yourself. Take care!
It must be another full time job!
Being the child of an alcoholic is almost always creates chaos in your life. They destroy everything you need to become a functioning member of society. I think you described Chris perfectly in that he really was bouncing around his life without any direction or plan. He needed a community that could steady him and stop the disordered thinking in his head. His death was a tragic but inevitable end when you stumble out into nature unprepared with only dreams in your head.
Excellent 👍👍
He needed a community he could count on that was genuine; values were important to him, he did need to be out in the open, perhaps he could have been an organic farm hand. Why would you say not empathetic??? nah, I don’t agree with your diagnosis. some folks just can’t live in the city.
@@sahej6939 I think people did try to offer him a stable place to live but he was focused on the chaos in his head.
Yep. Dreams arent something you can cook with onions
I always wondered why he didn't want to stay in slab city (if that was the name). From the way the movie portraied him, he generally didn't seem too interested in the people he met along the way.
Here for the peacefulness you bring- Also, for the rotation of plants. :)
I think he was an avoidant personality.
@@robinabner3118 You're entitled to your especulations.
I think he's perfect.
Two opinions. Yours and mine.
lol @ the rotation of plants! Mostly cuz it's true.
It's such a sad loss - he seemed like a nice، decent person. Naive perhaps, and not a pioneer, just someone who wanted to find his own way...
Yeah, I felt bad for him too. His sister is an opportunistic horror though.
When I read this book when it came out, I knew a few adults and someone in their 20s that had been in and out of facilities his whole young life for being bipolar. There were behaviors and actions described in the book of Mr. McCandless that reminded me of the people I knew would do...not diagnosing anything, it just struck me at the time, particularly burying things at various locations like cash and being crazy altruisic with giving things away to feel exilarated
Doesn't the Bible say to give? The world didn't like the "patterns" of Christ either.
Leaving one's mode of transportation and financial resources to flee to an extremely harsh unforgiving climate alone not being organized about anything feeling like they can take on the world unrealisrically has nothing to do with Christianity and everything ti do with mental illness. I'm a Christian and have had bipolar people in my life. I'm not criticizing him just seeing things I've observed in my life
No, I don't think that's it. You are free to give as you please. He seemed more narcissistic abd/or naive as if he believed nothing could hurt him
@Phoenix to Detroit He was also at that special age when bipolar disorder usually begins to onset in young adults
@@alwaysflushinpublic except hippies grew out of it. You don’t grow out of being bipolar...in fact, it gets worse with age for a lot of people.
I’ve always felt that Chris was foolish - perhaps due to being overly confident. He also seemed to be impulsive and unable to weigh risks and consequences. I wonder if, by the time he decided to hike out, he was having trouble (or more trouble) with distorted thinking. To me it seems logical that he should have hiked along the river in both directions just to see if he could find a way across or some help.
Could be, but he may have thought the entire river was this way, plus he didn't prepare.
Starvation can do a number on your brain's ability to function. Reasoning and planning (2 of the brain's executive functions) are among the first to become impaired.
In the early 2000's a young couple became so impaired that they froze to death along a highway, several hundred feet from their car. The car still had over 1/4 tank of fuel and additional clothing inside it.
In this case the cause of the brain changes was different than starvation, it was the first time they had tried meth. They even contacted 911 but were so disoriented that they couldn't effectively communicate their location. They got landmarks and street names wrong. They were within sight of a farmhouse with people inside, but mistook the cows they saw for hostile humans that wouldn't didn't speak English.
I really really wonder how this played out with Chris. His brain could have prevented him from generating more ideas on how to get out. Maybe he couldn't effectively form a multi-step plan.
That also had me wondering - why didn't he just continue along the river to see if he could cross somewhere else? Maybe he thought the river would carry less water soon so he just wanted to wait it out in the bus. The movie mentions that he had always been afraid of water. But we'll never know.
What I didn't understand is why he never contacted anyone, not even his sister.
Hey Doc, not speculating but diagnozing myself that I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOUR SHADES and also your plants introduction❤❤🇩🇪🇩🇪
Get in line!
“Difficultly regulating intake of alcohol.” Omg
@@wookieboss2643
Amen
Me too!🥰
😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
I have always surmised that this young mans reckless uncaring attitude towards himself was the result of his insensitive, unloving and dysfunctional upbringing. He needed to be as far away from them and their lifestyle as possible and had never been taught how to care for himself on a deeper level
Every time i hear “Hello this is Dr.Grande” my day gets better 👍🏻
I was the person that contacted you on Facebook and asked you to cover this story. Thank you so much!
🤣 "The old 'Picture Satan is chasing you' trick". You *never* fail to deliver! 🤣
Yeah, he's basically Patrice O'neal
When running, I pretend I'm being chased by the Turnbull ACs.
Like Tam O’ Shanter.
I know LOL. I always used the "alligators chasing you" trick
I know, and he stays so deadpan too!
“Too adventurous....perhaps he had a death wish.......Free at last, free at last. Thank GodAlmighty, I’m free at last”
I could see this.
People with bi-polar depression do flirt with death a lot. Even while manic. Like the guy who impulsively stole a plane at Sea-Tac. You can hear it in his voice the whole time, he's manic, but depressed as hell too. A passenger in his own head.
@@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking wait somebody stole a plane at seatac? What's that's mean and what happened
One of the saddest story I ever heard, I was traumatized after watching the biopic 🥺
🙄
"...like burning your house down to feel warm" very interesting analogy
more likely "burning down the house to appreciate the house"
To add to this, I feel like he also made this decision out of rebellion. It seemed like he came from a family of high expectations and he exiled himself into the wild to pursue freedom. I too come from a family like that, and whenever my stress is humongous, I find myself subconsciously wanting to go extreme ways just to revolt... idk I kinda feel for this man
Right, that also explains why he'd choose to do something as boring as working for Burger King in California. It was such a stark contrast to his family's expectations so it felt like rebellion to him.
He did what he had to do. He paid the price but hopefully he was happy.
That's stupid, you're stupid.
Yes but did you? He did.
“It’s like his father didn’t know how the whole marriage thing worked” the subtle shade haha, you’re sneaky Dr. Grande, I love that.
OTHER PEOPLE: I'd listen to so-and-so read the phone book.
DR. GRANDE PEOPLE: I'd listen to him read the DSM-5.
He kinda does already. He's gone through a number of disorders and outlined the possible criteria. Maybe a Patreon request could be to add F-Codes to his scripts?
DSM-5 on audio by Dr G woulda been a hit
@@DonPeyote420 😍
I think he was somewhat in-between. He had admirable qualities as well as flaws. I think that his experiences were meaningful to him, which gave them some worth, but I think that he could have had experiences that were equally meaningful without taking such risks. I enjoy going outdoors, and sometimes do camping trips in national forests where I'm alone and have to rely on myself. I find these experiences meaningful. However, I always tell people where I'm going, and when I expect to be back, in case danger arises. I sometimes drift a bit in life, but I also am able to maintain my social responsibilities and ties to other people. McCandless glorified freedom, which is a nice thing to have, but I think he died before he really matured. Maybe if he had lived longer, he would have become a wiser person. He was clearly resourceful and strong willed. I think it's a shame that the extremes of his positive qualities weren't balanced out by more common sense.
Admirable qualities + flaws = homosapien. 😊
My OCD thanks you for turning the cactus so that the label on the pot isn't showing.
😂😂😂
I got a little of that going on too. 😁
😂
Lol
Ha ha ha ha ha ,
GREAT !!
When I was seventeen, I idolized him. Now, as an adult, I see where he went wrong. His motivation and his story are very relatable, but he was deeply misguided.
Mercifully, as an adult, I've traveled all over the country and gotten the same thrills without getting myself killed. Someday I hope to see more. Thanks to the cautionary tale of McCandless, I always go prepared.
@@sheepdog03 Who am I to judge? Somebody who, like McCandless, regularly travels in search of self-discovery. And somebody who, unlike him, isn't dead.
@@sheepdog03 Do you believe being dead is better than being alive?
@@sheepdog03 Well, in the case of self-discovery, it's really something you only enjoy while alive. I don't think McCandless was suicidal. But who knows. It seems like his death wasn't intended.
@@thoughtfuldevil6069 I think he was subconsciously very self-destructive and unable to be happy, therefore all of that "discovering himself" and spirituality. He was desperately searching for something which would bring him inner peace and happiness. But he had opportunities and didn´t see them, like with his hippe friends. Or with his sister who cared about him a lot but he went away selfishly and she was left stressed, which IMHO doesn´t make him much better than the selfish, money and power-hungry types he despised.
@@sheepdog03 The point is that I'm smart enough to prepare myself when I go out into the wilderness. Chris wasn't. That's how he got himself killed by starvation/poisoning.
"Perhaps the purpose of your life is simply to act as a warning to others". - anon
Dr. Grande can you analyse the manipulation tactics of advertising and breakdown the psychological effects they could have on people?
Ooooh now that’s interesting!
Good idea! I’d love to see something on that topic as well!
Great idea!
YES. Please?
I'm really impressed at your turnaround time from request to release. And how you listen to your viewers. Kudos doc.
Every journey brings answers. He found his own. He wrote "happiness is only real when shared". He must have felt so lonely and scared at the end. RIP.
That's very insightful. Thank you.
Hell isn't other people, it's no people.
@@toniam.2080 I think it can be both. A life without people can be hell or bliss.
@@toniam.2080 It isn't no people, its the wrong people.
Which is most people.
"To be fair to Mr Magoo, Mr Magoo survived" DAMN that was a sick burn.
Mr. Magoo lived and made people laugh; this kid died and made everyone sad. Mr Magoo wins every time!!
This book and movie bring me to absolute sobs every time. Don McClean's song Vincent kind of describes Chris, too. Naive and suffering. I was glad when his sister decided to give the story of disfunction behind her brother's folly. She felt a sense of responsibility.
Travis Walton could be an interesting profile to do , the guy who claimed to have been abducted by aliens and was the subject of the 1993 Fire In The Sky movie; recently on JRE
@@alwaysflushinpublic Perhaps not the best idea to publish one's life on the internet for everyone to want to opine on. I think it may be better to stay quiet, humble, neutral and to keep speculating instead of diagnosing to continue growing a good channel.
Dr. Grande, can you please do a personality analysis of Rod Sterling, the famed host and producer of Twilight Zone? Thanks.
Good suggestion.
Would love to see this
Listening to Dr. G makes me smarter. Love this quality content.
Me too ✌️💙
Amen!!!
Likewise. I have learned and benefited by viewing his content for close 6 months.
My personal feeling after seeing the movie about him and reading JK's book is what a sad waste of a life with such potential. I find it sad that so many young people have mistakenly romanticized the tragedy of Chris's life choices and terrible end as if it's something to be emulated. What he really needed was in depth counseling to resolve the anger and bitterness he felt towards his parents.
Sadly, think Chris found out too late that he needed more than time alone, but by then he was unable to leave the place he found himself. For all of Chris's intelligence, he was unable to think outside the box of his surroundings, and perhaps by then was too weak physically to seek a way out. Yes, Chris should be remembered, not as a hero, but instead as a warning of what NOT to do. Life is more precious than you can imagine, you only have one.
I'm trying to understand how a recent college grad who drives a Datsun 210 was able to donate $24,000.
His parents were loaded
He had a trust fund.
His parents put the money into a fund for him. He had just graduated from college and was going to study law. They offered to buy him a brand new car but he did not want it.
It was his trust fund. He drove the Datson because he didn’t want to become materialistic like his parents (in his view)
Inheritance
Thank you for this analysis,
Dr. Grande. I agree, Chris McCandless appeals to the free spirit in us all. His is such a poignant story of a young man who was well-intended yet not well prepared.
*Enjoying the new plants! ☺🍀
I live on an island and a young fellow came sailing in on a tiny catamaran with no water or food - he had just had an adventure to the outer reefs. He was very relieved to be safely back here - hungry and thirsty - he had wanted to go and live wild off the sea - when he told me his name, I replied "I know what your name is - "Alexander Supertramp". He knew exactly what I was saying. There are a lot of Alexander Supertramps out there - I'm not surprised some don't make it - I'm just surprised that so many do survive. They are full of life and adventure and real characters and they get away from the screens and have a go.
I loved the movie. I would think tho, that maybe the electrician could have checked on him and informed other people about him. Very sad, even wonder if he had a mild mental disability. (?)
Also, Dr. Grande, can you analyze the Christian missionary guy that tried to bring religion to that small Sentinelese island and was killed in the process? I’ll go look up his name.
His name was John Allen Chau
Excellent suggestion
Yes, this would be a fascinating one!
Dr. G has done the analysis of John Allen Chau. Watched that video right before this one.
@@sheilacooke1543 same
Essentially he was grizzly man without the bears.
I wonder what’s worse; getting eaten by a bear or slowly starving to death. Ugh
@@piperhurtado4945 Getting mauled by a bear is probably a little more traumatic and painful I would say. Of course I'm only speculating...
@@Leadfoot_P71 the worst of it is they eat you while you’re still alive. Starting with the intestines. That’s what’s they eat first because they’re nutritious. Via the rectum. That’s the last thing I’d want, to have the intestines eaten via the rectum. That sounds extremely uncomfortable.
@@Leadfoot_P71 why don’t these people take up a hobby like gardening or something instead of playing with bears and eating poison berries in an old truck?
@@HkFinn83 🤮
Hippies: "He was a hero and is a great inspiration!"
Alaskans: "He was a complete idiot..."
Haha. You got that right.
Maybe they both have a point?
Coming from a town of "back to the land" type hippies/proto hippies (they started in the depression) most of them thought he was a moron too. City hippies for whom nature is a place they visit/dream about....yeah you're basically right.
I'm better prepared when I go out for a day hike than this idiot was. I feel bad for his friends and family but he should have known better.
@@ufc990 He didn’t really have either.
I agree very much with your statements about the impact of his legacy - it is a sad truth that so many people idolize McCandless and have put themselves at risk in so doing.
Dr. Grande, I totally agree with your assessment. I've always found McCandless to be foolish and irresponsible. Like you said, he had options for escape and rescue. I find it hard to believe that he could have spent almost 100 days around the bus and not found the cabin, or the cable bridge that was close by. His irresponsibly and behavior towards others cost him his life.
I think McCandless' new authority was his Alaskan surroundings, dictating if he ate, stayed warm or even if he was able to beat the harsh winter. He wouldn't be told anything by anyone, and this included the weather, he stuck two fingers up to it and it got the better of him.... As it was bound to.
It’s mentioned in his notes that he was now a prisoner of the wild. He left one prison for another.
My opinion...I think that as humans, we have all felt sometimes that we just don’t belong. We have that feeling of being a square peg in a round hole. My belief is that Chris McCandless felt that way every day of his life. From my understanding, he had a chaotic childhood that wore him down. It intensified his feelings of being different. I think he was searching for peace, for belonging. He had so many opportunities to find it, yet it was elusive to him. He was neither stupid or a hero. Just a person who was looking for something he would probably never find.
This story is heartwrenchingly sad.
It really is..
why? he seems to have had more adventure then many who grow old..
@@runs_through_the_forest How does the amount of adventure define one´s happiness? It doesn´t and this boy was obviously chronically unable to be happy and was self-destructive.
@@runs_through_the_forest Where's the adventure? Hunting a little? Sleeping outdoors? Eating berries? He went hiking, stayed too long and ended up starving to death. That's not much of an adventure. Lots of people went hiking and returned alive, able to travel the world, see different places and cultures, maybe learn an unusual skill, meet different people ... they had a lot more of adventure than he did.
@@thatsalt1560 well yes indeed but wasn't he on the road, traveling and such for a while? i only saw the movie, which of course is a bit of a one sided view or romanticized i guess.. i've done a few hikes and i won't get myself killed like him thanks to being unprepared..
It almost seems like Chris was running away from something, someone, willing to take on any risks that came his way feeling whatever the risks might be, it was better than where he began his journey. He felt he had the strength to handle each as it came. I don’t believe he wanted to die, after all he did try to hike out of the wilderness when he realized how serious his situation had become. If he wanted to die, wouldn’t he have just stayed at the bus the entire time? Also there was the note asking for help, asking that whoever read the note to not just pass on by. The note wasn’t a suicide note nor did it read like someone who wanted to die. It was the opposite actually, it read like someone who very much wanted to survive.
It would have been interesting if he had made it out or been rescued in time to see what he would have done next. After nearly starving to death, would he have found a bit of appreciation for the material things in life like money to buy warm clothes and food? Would he have gotten over a reckless lifestyle to live one more goal oriented and safer. Or did he want to get out of the inhospitable wilderness so he could gather up proper supplies to return yet again to his bus?
We will never know what he realized, what he learned, in his last weeks of life. Maybe he was able to forgive his parents especially his father. Living with an alcoholic parent can prevent a child from having a firm foundation on which to build his life. This certainly seems to apply to Chris. I hope he found peace finally getting away from the demons from which he was fleeing. I hope he was able to forgive himself for in essence wasting the gifts he had, mentally and physically, and the life he was given. In the end I hope he found what he was seeking spiritually. If only he had made it to the cabin...he was just 6 miles short of having continued life...knowing that makes his story even more painfully sad.
Thanks Dr Grande.
I remember reading the book in high school, I cried like a baby at the end, it was so incredibly heartbreaking.
What other TH-cam listens to his fans and makes a video that was requested the very next day!? Dr. Grande you are the BEST💙🔥
Spiritual types never seem to properly acknowledge the risks of reality.
Oops I'm one of the alaskans that think he made a huge mistake, the bus ended up being a major tourist attraction stranding a lot of people on the way. Bus has been removed and put into a museum. Thanks for covering this I knew you would
Moving the plants again :-)
Idealism. Possibly, idealism to the detriment of common sense, but the...”whatever” it takes, to live your life completely on your own terms, doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to me.
👍🏿
Freedom mixed with idealism requires responsibility, otherwise it can be a dangerous mix.
@@southerndiscomfort2412 nailed it. You see this general rejection of the importance of hard work and preparation in so much of the self help motivational material that's popular today. So many young guys think that working an average 9-5 is simply the product of a mentality or lack thereof. As if they can simply break free with their will alone. Skills, planning, saving money, nahh screw that. It's all about believing and conceiving etc.
lots of people are idealistic but practical.
@@southerndiscomfort2412 amen
I subbed to Dr. Grande's patron. Best choice ever. You get to see extra content as well as a smiley Doc. Love the content!
The Grande Podcast when? I think we need it
I second this
Agreed
Word
I couldn't find it on Sticher.
Oh my god why is this literally- PLEASE
Haven't watched for a bit and now I found you have a fresh new background that's very nice! I like your analysis on Mac candless. Such a sad story 😢
I read this book a few years ago and then watched the movie. This was a sad story, it seems he was very depressed. He also hated his family and wanted to get away. I think because a very famous writer chose to write his story, he got legendary status.I think the narcissism you mention is interesting, he did seem to think he was smarter than everyone.
This is what I don't understand; yes, you hate your family. A family friend gave you a bit of cash. Take it and your degree and do this crazy thing called: set up a life for yourself. Don't go consign yourself to a horrible death. Poor bastard.
I adore your channel but these days I'm having even more fun watching the array of plants behind you change with each upload! I've read Into the Wild and his sister's book The Wild Truth, several times. Tragic upbringing and tragic ending for Chris Mccandless. Sad all around 🙁
I’ve just always seen this young man as altruistic with a heavy dose of arrogance. He ignored advice and assumed that he would conquer the natural elements and bend them to his will. That is a fool’s errand and he paid the ultimate price. Sad waste of young life.
Elitist.😢
This case has always fascinated me. Thank you, Dr. Grande! i would love to see you cover Joshua Powell/the case of the Powell family.
If anyone has not seen “Into the wild” (Chris McCandless’ story) this movie and his story by Jon Kracaur and Carine McCandless is pretty amazing. I think he was a bit arrogant and a dreamer but he did something not a lot of people ever have the courage to do. He had no kids, no responsibilities so if that’s what he felt had to do, I’m sure he knew death was possible. To be so charitable and so bold is admirable. The self control, maturity and forgiveness may have come with time since was only in his early 20’s. For those of us with an explorer soul, sometimes you just have to take the journey. 🧭🗺
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It was essentially a self aggrandizing form of suicide in his case though. He didn't possess any of the skills necessary to take those risks. He did no legitimate preparation. It was basically an adult version of a child running away from home with a stick and handkerchief knapsack. Thinking no further than the apples and loaf of bread he took with him.
I think he should be a cautionary tale for people with the spirit you are describing. The true explorers aren't JUST the product that mentality. You are either REALLY about that life or not. If you're not don't kid yourself. You aren't doing anything but killing yourself in an unnecessarily long way.
Shame it ended up being one of the world's longest, stupidest suicides.
@@thedorkone1516 beat the record?
I'm so happy you picked this suggestion Dr. Grande!
"In their journey of self-discovery, they end up discovering death." 😂😂😂 ah...the nuanced delivery 😂😂🤣
DR. GRANDE IS LITERALLY DELIVERING THE BEST CONTENT. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!! YOU BRING ME SO MUCH JOY
I agree with your assessment regarding this individual. McCandless died needlessly driven by his arrogance, ignorance and woeful miscalculation of what it takes to survive off the grid. There is nothing romantic about his death, only tragic. I hope the lesson people take from his story is not to follow the same path. RIP Christopher McCandless 🙏
I am here for my daily Dr. Grande fix. Excellent analysis! Thank you sir. Blessings!🙏🏽🍀
Thanks Dr. G this poor guy puzzles and makes me mad when someone holds him up as a role model and they become deceased. It's clearer now why he did this . His family was not there for him from the beginning I feel this gave him a more rebellious attitude and misguided actions toward liberation, I liked your anaylisis also. Mr Magoo Xmas carol was one of my fav A Christmas Carol movies. I just had to tell you cause not many people know of Magoo😊
Thanks for all your work on utube❤
Thank you Dr. Grande! Interesting analysis! I love all of your analyses. I'm learning so much by watching your videos. I always thought that I had a good "feel" about people but just went by the "vibe" I felt. When I listen to you explain the many speculations, I learn so much!
I feel so sorry for Chris, he must have been so confused. He didn't have a very good start in life because of his childhood. Sounds like he was smart enough but not well prepared, skilled nor aware of what could happen in the wild. He must have become withdrawn and wanted peace, beauty and quietness. It must have been like wanting to be in heaven? He was a dreamer. He wanted to challenge himself, like he was self discipling. I never saw the movie nor read the book will be looking for it though. My heart goes out to him for his longing in life! Sad and touching.
Interesting analysis. This is one of my favorite stories; however, the book and the movie both seem to romanticize the story. I appreciate your straight-forward analysis including the notes that others thought he was ill-prepared for life in the wilderness. This wasn’t mentioned at all in the book/movie.
It is absolutely mentioned in the book and movie. Many people tried to convince him to prepare better, especially the man who dropped him off. I believe he convinced Chris to take his boots.
This is a very kind appraisal of a case I've read about for years .
Thank you for your tenderheartedness.
Wow, how very sad. I didn't know all of the details about his past. Or about the other woman who died. I hope people learn from this. Thank you for your insight as always Doc! 💜
I’ve spent 2 weeks on a through hike in Oregon. It really felt like 2 months. I hope Chris found what he was looking for. Thanks for the vid!
Dear Dr. Grande .. Would You like to do an analysis of The Conway's strange family dynamics (Kellyanne Elizabeth Conway and George Thomas Conway III)? Especially, focusing on their public roles in politics and how it might affect their marriage and relationship with their four children. Thank you.
We spent thousands of years trying to escape the realities natural world. Once we escaped to our heated houses and our warm beds and we were able to gain easy access to food and water, some of us, like Chris McCandless, forgot what it was really like and wanted to go back to the wild completely, only to find it again: heat, cold, hunger, thirst, small things that want to live off of your flesh, big things that want to eat you completely, rock slides, floods, snowstorms, endless rain, scorching sun, all of it unconsciously beautiful and completely indifferent to your pain, suffering, or struggle. You are astoundingly insignificant.
I like to hike in the woods a lot, but I always go home.
Same here 😎!
Most all people continue down the same path in life only wishing for something different. I admire McCandless for going against what is expected but he was foolish not being well prepared and making bad decisions along the way. He's not a role model per se but we can all learn from his good intentions.
Would you consider covering the missing persons case of Kyron Horman and his stepmother Terri Horman? Thanks, love your channel so much!
I watched the film and thought it was like an Aesop’s fable about pride.
Pride mixed with naivete I would say.
Fits right next to "Grizzly Man." That one made me cry.
Thank you Dr. Grande!
I personally thought of him as a kind of folk hero in my adolescence- although I have had very serious bouts of depression throughout my life and thought perhaps leaving everything and having no attachments would be more conducive to happiness. But it's obvious that all that rejection can only come from some deep-seated hole deep down inside.
Omg, I just watched this movie for the first time 3 weeks ago and couldn't stop thinking about Chris. I have done some research and was actually watching it again when I got the notification! 😲
@@spiritmatter1553, yeah, I was at the point in the movie when his mom wakes up from a nightmare where he was calling out for her. It freaked me out.😳
Thanks for covering this one. Your perspective is an original one.
Wondering if Dr. Grande was always cynical or if years of listening to self-deluded patients made him that way.
You’re mistaking cynicism for critical thinking
YES! This was a super highly anticipated analysis, and I am so glad that you did it. It was just as fascinating as I thought it would be.
The middle plant moves a bit every time Dr Grande says the word 'McCandless'.
@Trollslayer Shhhh! You'll frighten the plants!
😂
But you know he died of hunger and not of wild plant poisoning? this is confirmed information
Thank you Dr. G for doing this one, I find the story of Chris McCandles life and tragic end facinating.
McCandless was really naive. If he'd read any Jack London novels he would have known what he was planning was a really bad idea. It gets cold in Alaska!
Naive.
Great video! I had just watched this movie for the 1st time recently. I've also researched his story a bit last week. Thank for this video!
I don't think he was self-centered. I believe he was having an existential crisis and felt like society, and life itself, had lost meaning. He went out to seek answers and found his; notably, he did write that real happiness is when you share it with others. I believe he did not wander off just to get lost permanently, but to experience the world and return to civilization once he has accomplished that. He did, in the end, try to return.
I have been studying this case for years and I completely agree with your assessment. Especially like that you noted his apparent lack of empathy.