Jack London - An Inspiring Example for Adventure

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Would take exception to your "many of us did similar things...."

Right, I should have said many of us high energy, high testosterone, cocky kids with a passion did similar things

Some folks would never take a chance at all and expect to get out of it with brains, physical strength (as in stamina) and will power plus some luck

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by thomm225

But many of them that slammed the kid as an idiot were narrow minded and boring people.

McCandless was a kid trying to find his path and ran out of luck.

Kinda Like John Waterman and some of the other characters from the book Into The Wild

Even the author of McCandless' Story, Jon Krakuaer, had an Alaska Adventure in his 20's that he barely survived (Climbing the Devil's Thumb solo)

The problem I have with the story and with McSenslees view is the romanticising. Its intrusive and projects your own identity and manipulates the world instead of really being apart of it with respect. McSensless should have known better and should have prepared better if he really believed and respected that lifestyle and value. He should have respected the culture around him. Instead he imposed an unhealthy conscious and he deserved what he got. I'm not forgiving or changing that cold hearted comment.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Although Bullwinkle, et al. came well after my own youth, I must admit that I do trust a moose far more than I ever did the monkey that took the dime my mother gave to me, bit on it, and gave it to the guy grinding away at the decorated box organ like the tin one my much younger sister later had as a toy. It played, Pop Goes the Weasel, when the handle was turned. That evil monkey inside stopped popping out after an older cousin properly fixed it.

Yeah well, buzzstar, I made a sh**t load of money withthat grinder guy on the street corner. I ended up with 60% profit while the grinder guy got only 38%. 2% went to the cop on the corner. That's how I could afford my first boat, and this here banana tree, and my book wall conversion.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by reed1v

As a member of the NY Explorers Club, would say that more "adventurers" die on their excursions than successfully make it back alive. Eventually if you keep pushing the boundaries, you seal your doom. The world is unforgiving, and you can not be prepared for all that it throws at you. Which is why most folks "play" at being explorers by going on well trodden paths. Remember that the Universe is saying "Feeling lucky, kid?"

I don't buy that HS. He went out there totally disrespectful and totally unprepared physically, mentally or logistically. That's pure selfish romantic psychosis

If he had any respect, he would have taken local knowledge and climatized and enjoyed the learning process. Indigenous knowledge is crucial.

No one survives alone. That's total BS. Man survived because of community. Survival is staying alive until you can be FOUND. It is not SELF SUFFICIENT LIVING. There is just too much work to do. That's why you need tribes. This neo-romantic view with man against the gods OR pretending you are Walden Pond man is HS and doesn't do anyone or the world any good. Even Walden Pond man ate canned beans.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

I don't buy that HS. He went out there totally disrespectful and totally unprepared physically, mentally or logistically. That's pure selfish romantic psychosis

If he had any respect, he would have taken local knowledge and climatized and enjoyed the learning process. Indigenous knowledge is crucial.

No one survives alone. That's total BS. Man survived because of community. Survival is staying alive until you can be FOUND. It is not SELF SUFFICIENT LIVING. There is just too much work to do. That's why you need tribes. This neo-romantic view with man against the gods OR pretending you are Walden Pond man is HS and doesn't do anyone or the world any good. Even Walden Pond man ate canned beans.

Looks like you haven't read the book monkey. It's not about taking on nature, it's about enjoying it's beauty.

Read the book:

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Looks like you haven't read the book monkey. It's not about taking on nature, it's about enjoying it's beauty.

Read the book:

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Be that as it may, he is correct about romance vs. reality. Running naked after Mother Nature usually leads to a lot of mosquito bites and not much more; unless one is eaten by a bear. Enjoy the beauty, but with a lot of caution.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

I don't buy that HS. He went out there totally disrespectful and totally unprepared physically, mentally or logistically. That's pure selfish romantic psychosis

If he had any respect, he would have taken local knowledge and climatized and enjoyed the learning process. Indigenous knowledge is crucial.

No one survives alone. That's total BS. Man survived because of community. Survival is staying alive until you can be FOUND. It is not SELF SUFFICIENT LIVING. There is just too much work to do. That's why you need tribes. This neo-romantic view with man against the gods OR pretending you are Walden Pond man is HS and doesn't do anyone or the world any good. Even Walden Pond man ate canned beans.

Actually Thoreau went home every evening to a hot dinner. Walden pond was more a metaphor than a reality. Much like London, Henry elaborated on a very minor experience.

[topmast]

When I wandered Newfoundland ,Ran into Farley. We were both looking for a schooner .He was established. I was sleeping rough ,accompanied by bears and rutting moose. He found his 'Boat that wouldn't Float. and wrote about it. I ended up smuggling GTO's out of Detroit to BC and didn't write about it. Adventure ??

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Looks like you haven't read the book monkey. It's not about taking on nature, it's about enjoying it's beauty.

Read the book:

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

i read the F&(@&#$ book and I saw the 238834 Film. Lovelovelove walden blabla eat bad potatows and live in a man made bus (wow thats natural) and write a journal and take a silly pikture and snow snow and more snow. Whee.

Know your limitations ------> NOT!

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Actually Thoreau went home every evening to a hot dinner. Walden pond was more a metaphor than a reality. Much like London, Henry elaborated on a very minor experience.

Interesting. Thought he smuggled beans in from the local Safeway.

[Sea Dreaming]

Does it change our lives? Is there every any REAL sympathy or identification or EMPATHY?

That, my friend, is an inside job. One must read through the lense of empathy and sympathy. No writer will create it for you. Your cynicism suggests you lost your lense long ago.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

That, my friend, is an inside job. One must read through the lense of empathy and sympathy. No writer will create it for you. Your cynicism suggests you lost your lense long ago.

And that, my friend, is a lie. Good writers find that internal truth and write toward it.

Fiction Writing 101

Sympathy
Empathy
Identification

Which leads US to

Inner Conflict.

Which leads, more of less to...

Ruling Passion.

Which leads to...

Suspense

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

And that, my friend, is a lie. Good writers find that internal truth and write toward it.

Fiction Writing 101

Sympathy
Empathy
Identification

Which leads US to

Inner Conflict.

Which leads, more of less to...

Ruling Passion.

Which leads to...

Suspense

Understood. However, one can choose to remain unmoved no matter the authors skill. In as much as reading requires willingness to suspend ones self, to engage with the characters present, it is reasonable to note that the reader is ultimately responsible for their experience.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Understood. However, one can choose to remain unmoved no matter the authors skill. In as much as reading requires willingness to suspend ones self, to engage with the characters present, it is reasonable to note that the reader is ultimately responsible for their experience.

ONLY if the author has done their job to their full power. ONLY! Else they have failed as writers, which most of my previous discourse has gone over ack-monkey-nausea.

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

ONLY if the author has done their job to their full power. ONLY! Else they have failed as writers, which most of my previous discourse has gone over ack-monkey-nausea.

It would seem sharing a tome with a she ape might relieve your nausea. Been a while huh?