Random Thoughts

Into the Wild is a biography of Chris McCandless who comes from a well-to-do family but chooses a life of tramping, he hitchhikes across US and finally walks alone into the wilderness of Alaska never to return. Thought I would share this piece from the book .

"I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, comformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

Personally i don't subscribe to McCandless' principle of leading a solitary life in the confines of wild. Neither does his wilderness doctrine ring a chord with me. However i do believe that for most parts we do tend to lead a life of confirmity. I am not arguing the merits of conformity, just that we got to stop every once in a while, and do things which i believe in and are more fulfilling to me when i look back.