What I never understand..
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Into the Wild
BloodSister — 10 years ago(November 04, 2015 06:58 PM)
when I read posts in here is how people often seem to be divided between those that think that Chris was kind of awesome for wanting to go off and live in the wild(and possibly try to copy this line of thinking) and the others who feel that he was selfish/stupid/unprepared, etc. and possibly deserved what he got. That seems so simplistic..I took a totally different message or meaning from it.
What I thought was so sad about the movie was that here is this young guy who thinks he knows the 'secret' to fulfillment and happiness, if only he can get away from his current life(isn't this kind of a common rabbit trail in life? 'I'll be happy and fulfilled if only I can move here or get this job, etc.?'). He rejects consumerism and thinks he has it all figured out. He connects with many people along the way, but leaves broken hearts behind him as he continues to doggedly push forwards to his goal of 'finding himself' or getting back to nature or whatever. At the end he finally realizes that he missed the deepest truth all along..the truth that was there in the experiences he had with all those people who cared about him along the way, and those he left behind. That happiness is only real when shared. But he learns the lesson too late, and he dies.
It's heartbreaking! Yes, he is selfish. He is stupid, he is unprepared. Why does the central character in a movie have to be totally likable or make good decisions? That doesn't mean the audience can't feel sympathy and pain for how lost he was. Sometimes wisdom comes too late, and that's a tragedy. But it happens all the time. Lots of people his age(and even those that are older) are as lost emotionally as he was. To me the movie has depth because it is a cautionary tale, and has a pretty deep lesson to it. Maybe it means different things to different people, but to me it values contentedness and being thankful for what and who you have in your life. -
ljshorts — 10 years ago(November 05, 2015 06:41 PM)
Well it's not really supposed to be a sad movie. It's supposed to be inspiring. Chris knew that there were things wrong with the world, and he took initiative to break free from them to live a happy, meaningful life. That's the beauty of his story. You too can break free from the shackles of tyranny, and live an enlightened simple life. He showed people it is possible. Yes it's unfortunate that he only realized on his way out that part of the fun is enjoying life with other people. But his journey as a whole is still better than most people's lives nowadays anyway.
He wasn't selfish, he knew that you can't live your life for anyone, and that nobody is going to live your life for you. He had to go and live his own life. This is usually what people don't understand about the movie. He can't live his life for his parents. His parents needed to learn to respect Chris' life choices, even if it meant distancing himself from them.
All in all, he was wise beyond his years and bold enough to chase his dreams. His death was tragically clumsy. But oh well, what he's lost in years he's made up for in experience. -
I_need_more_cowbell — 10 years ago(March 30, 2016 07:44 PM)
No. Just entirely NO. Suicide by cop is still usually a pretty quick death. Suicide by long-term starvation? Come on. Look at the photos. He had demons but there is just not a chance that he was suicidal. He would not have continued to hunt and forage consistently until the end had he been looking to starve to death. Interesting thought but not supported by the facts.
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ljshorts — 10 years ago(November 09, 2015 05:20 PM)
Well you have to understand that he probably wasn't mentally ill, or suicidal. Because he was able to see what life really is about, and how detrimental society actually is to living a healthy life. To be able to grasp that perspective, let alone act on it is usually the mark of a sane, intelligent person. He didn't display any symptoms of depression or suicide. Evidently he was on the opposite end of the spectrum displaying a very passionate, enthusiastic viewpoint on life. He even spent his downtime learning and reading about life and philosophy. So you obviously have the right to your opinion, but looking at it logically your theory doesn't really match up.
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ljshorts — 10 years ago(November 12, 2015 09:19 PM)
You can disagree man, but again your observations are illogical. Because all known proof of him point toward him being the exact opposite of mentally ill, or depressed. Therefore your theory isn't based on any fact.
I don't lack understanding in depression, because I along with my entire family have been depressed. Which actually means I have extensive understanding of depression first hand. Which shows you make misguided assumptions, and in turn know very little about depression yourself.
I think you're in denial about Chris and his life choices because it disturbs you how right he actually was. Because you don't want to accept the truth about reality or our condition as slaves. So you try to discredit his life by saying he had a handicap. Many people do this because they are scared to accept the Truth. -
Cruesix — 10 years ago(February 19, 2016 03:34 PM)
Spot on! Exactly my thoughts when I browse these forums!
Depressed people usually tend to do EXACTLY the opposite of what he did Dr. Freud^^..
Makes me cringe how many people come on these boards to voice their opinion on
a guy that had 100 times more self-knowledge then these ignorant and bitter and all too comfortable human beings
GET A F#**@%ING Life!
Yes, he was naive and he didn't care enough but if you honestly think that makes his death less tragic let alone think he somehow deserved what he got.. Then you sir, are EXACTLY what is wrong with the world! -
froggyandtoadie — 10 years ago(March 08, 2016 10:30 AM)
I 100% agree with everything you said. Very refreshing after reading so many hateful and judgmental posts about this kid. It's scary to read what passes as logical in our society. Good for you, nice to know there are still a few people that can think for themselves.