Daniel Bogert "Into the Wild"

"Into the Wild" is a book by Jon Krakauer about Chris McCandless, a young man who died in the Alaskan wilderness. McCandless was an idealistic young man intensely interested with nature. Many people daydream of spending time in the wilderness alone, but McCandless actually went through with this. He found a secluded spot in Alaska (not hard to do) and lived there for months. McCandless didn't experience communitas however because he was completely isolated from society. Unfortunately he tragically died after eating a poisonous plant. McCandless' story can be viewed as a cautionary tale about become too obsessed with nature. Its healthy to spend time in nature and focus on it, but it can be taken to extremes. The social isolation McCandless faced not only made his trip more dangerous, but was emotionally draining. One of his last journal entries was the phrase: "happiness only real when shared". His story is a reminder that nature is important, but it cannot replace real friendship and community.