Both Wallace and McCandless propose that life should be challenged in order to live the most fulfilling life, however the two differ in the ways they think life should be challenged. Wallace challenges the “default settings” in his life by attempting to change the way he thinks and make his thoughts more conscious of the society around him as opposed to self-centered thoughts. He describes it on page 5 saying, “Thinking this way is my natural default-setting. It 's the automatic, unconscious way that I experience the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of adult life when I 'm operating on the automatic, unconscious belief that I am the center of the world and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world 's priorities”. Wallace believes in saying this that humans are inherently selfish creatures. This natural selfishness stems from basic animalistic fight or flight reflexes; humans maintain selfishness because they are always avidly rooting for their own survival. Wallace is of the belief that doing this is outdated, and we are far beyond the point of basic animal instincts. Because of this we should be able to actively change our thoughts to represent a state of mind that more closely reflects the society that we live in now. In order to break free of the animalistic impulses we must constantly make the conscious decisions to see life beyond ourselves, which would prove impossible for an animal but possible for the human who possesses generative
1. The issue that McCullough is satirizing is that he wants us to be more of our own person. To think about ourselves first before we think of others.
A long-debated argument in the field of Psychology has been which theory or explanation of human behavior is the most important and the most viable. Is B. F. Skinner’s theory that behavior is the result of man’s response to external stimuli or is Carl Rogers’ theory that man’s behavior is the result of his determination to achieve self-actualization the best explanation? After much research and thought, I will argue in favor of Carl Rogers’ Humanistic Theory that “emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth” (Weiten, 2016, p. 9).
Who influenced the other party more? Chris or the people he met along his journey? Without any money, or material objects Chris was able to leave a lasting impact on the people he met on his journey to Alaska. In Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless is able to leave a greater influence on the people he met along his journey to Alaska rather than the impact they made on him.
In Tara Isabella Burton’s “Study Theology Even if You Don’t Believe in God,” she contends the study of theology forces us to look at other perspectives, and history resulting in more empathetic individuals. David Foster Wallace impacts this premise of Burton’s argument in his commencement speech, “This is Water”. He argues that empathy, or being aware of other’s perspectives is the driving force behind success. Without empathy, we would be stuck in our “default setting” or the belief that the world revolves around us ( ). According to Wallace, this would be problematic because it limits freedom and knowledge. By freedom, Wallace is not talking about rights rather he describes that “the really important kind of freedom involves attention
Lastly, having Chris McCandless as a role model to a change in society should be known an honored. If we can get people today not to depend on such dire need of technology sights for people to see will open up to minds that there is a whole other world more then technology can make. McCandless didn’t like how citizens lived with little to no risk, and how one really took a deeper to whats beyond the door to your risk. There are many other portions of the world that are worth seeing. McCandless climbed Mt. McKinley and saw what its like to see the world in a different angle. Learning from McCandless its like being taken back to the Indians where they didn’t have technology to help themselves they did it on their own. McCandless went on a outstanding,
Thesis: Chris McCandless has found the meaning of his life with inspiration of Emerson's quote, “The foregoing generations beheld God and the nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe (“Nature” ). He has found this by trusting his decisions, living alone in Alaska, and seeing life through his own eyes rather than the eyes of others.
After reading the book "Into the wild" it was pretty amazing and the way Mcacandless got to live with life the way you wanted and got to explore different things was amazing to read. McCandless is a very outgoing, smart, funny kid who loves to explore and travel on his own and didn't depend on anyone. He lived who's life with freedom.
Throughout the novel, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer sincerely disentangles the haunting enigma of Chris McCandless. By tracing the places, people and experiences intertwined in the life of McCandless, Krakauer narrates the life story of a puzzling corpse found in a bus buried in the Alaskan frontier in a truly authentic way of storytelling. Although Krakauer inserts direct quotes from people who McCandless came into direct contact with and experts from primary source journals, Krakauer’s own voice in the narration of the dead man’s life is trustworthy due to the similarities the protagonist and the author share. Common connections such as similar paternal stress made outstanding impacts in both men’s lives, starting at a young age. Furthermore, a sort of agitation with the soul ailed Krakauer and McCandless fueled by a reckless persona confined in the modern world. Lastly, a craving for human contact when in total isolation troubled both the author and subject in their adventures narrowed in the natural world. The mutual bond apparent to the reader between Krakauer and McCandless makes the writing in the novel sincere enabling Krakauer to speak of a dead’s man life with profound authority and truth. Unconditional understanding through shared paternal issues, agitation of the soul, and need for human contact grants Krakauer access to divulge into the conundrum of Chis McCandless and authority to earnestly narrate the mysterious
Secondly, Ralph Emerson, similarly to Chris McCandless, accepts the meaning of life to be nonconformity, and to follow your dreams. Not conforming to society is one of Ralph Emerson’s meaning of life. When Entering the world you must remember who you are, “Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffer age
	Living is about making choices. The choices people make shape their lives for better or worse. Even the decision not to choose has its effects, often not wanted. But the individual who chooses to make positive choices and to act accordingly is more likely to see his or her life reflect his or her beliefs and desires. Usually the individual who chooses to take action is also willing to face the risks and obstacles that such choices involve.
In what could have been Chris McCandless’s last contact with humanity he tells his new comrade, Wayne Westerberg, “If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t hear from me again I want you to know you are a great man. I now walk into the wild” (Krakauer 3). For 112 days Chris lived off the harsh Alaskan land. For anyone who is brave enough to travel on the stampede trail and cross the treacherous Teklanika River you will come across the Fairbanks City Transit System Bus 142. Once a backcountry shelter for hunters, trappers, ranger patrols, and for a short time Chris McCandless, Bus 142 now serves as a memorial for Chris McCandless. Travelers will make the trip to witness the basic resources Chris had at hand and the courage it took to
I believe that existence is comprised of hundreds and millions of different realities intermingling and colliding into one another. I also believe that at the center of each reality there lies the individual who crafted it. Our perception of what is real and false exists solely in our own minds, and our minds are what determines the lense in which we perceive the world. Our perception is largely influenced by our psyche; how we live and think stems from our perception of the world. Our brains are directly influenced by a number of key factors, including but not limited to; societal connotations, individual experience, instinctual desires, environmental factors, and cognitive thought. These factors, as well as other conditions, are what determine our “default setting.” In his noteable “This is Water” speech, given at the 2005 Kenyon Commencement Address, David Foster Wallace argues a similar idea as he explains his take on the phrase “teaching you how to think”. Through his use of relatable parables and anecdotes and repetition and reverent focus of words like “choice” and “awareness” he paints a livid picture of the use of conscious choice in our daily lives. He stresses the concept of a self centered “default setting” that comes from an individual's “blind certainty” and the repercussions that deferring to that default can have on an individual's lifestyle and fulfilment. If we are unable to recognise the water in which we dwell we will always remain unaware, stuck in an
There had never been and there would never be someone exactly like Chris McCandless. Chris has a middle class background and stands out from his peers because he believes that society restrains his independence. He leaves his past life and wanders America heading toward the lonely Alaskan wilderness to find who he really is. He discovers ways of moving to Alaska despite leaving behind all of his possessions and social status. Chris’s sincerity and integrity earn the respect of the people he meets. He inspires people leave behind their old life and explore the country by documenting his experiences. Chris loves to challenge himself and after succeeding academically he finds purpose through self deprivation. Chris chooses Alaska because its'
It is like a tag on a shirt that keeps bothering your tender skin, it is the reason why you rip the tag off and make your own choices while walking into the unknown land of the wilderness, striving for the adventure that has dire consequences if executed improperly. Walking the unknown land of Hades abyss might have taken the sensitive life of one man, but it was done in a blaze of glory with no regrets. This man of course is Christopher McCandless in the book, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, which is based on a true story. In the book, McCandless strives for the cold Alaskan journey into the wild to satisfy his final thirst for the wilderness but tragedy strikes and it ends by him losing the most valuable thing to him, his life. Chris
Our lifestyle choices limits us because of how much free will we are given. In giving us that free will we see how we as human create our own limits as well as our own mental blocks to keep us