By Kelly Keene

I am reading Into the Wild and loving it. I hated it before when my mom read it and loved it so much that she put quotes from the book up all over our house. Reading it helps me understand my mom so much more. I just finished chapter six, where Chris McCandless (also known as Alex Supertramp) writes to Ronald Franz, an 80+ year old man who has settled down for his golden years. Chris explains to Franz that he is not getting the most out of life if he isn’t having a new experience everyday and constantly looking out at a “new horizon.” Chris prioritizes experiences over relationships and convinces himself that he should avoid meaningful relationships in order to seek that new horizon. The irony in this, is that Krakauer tells Chris’s story through his relationships with the people he encounters and connects with along the way. If Chris hadn’t meant so much to Ronald Franz, Krakauer would never have been able to learn about this particular chapter in Chris’ journey, or access the core of his philosophy. 

My father values relationships over experiences, or rather an experience is only meaningful for him if he can share it with another person. He flounders in solitude and thrives in a congregation and/or an intimate relationship. I love that about him, and there are many moments in my own life where I see that in myself and am fulfilled too.  

My mother values experiences. I think she always has, but after she read Into the Wild she became more self aware and really embraced it. I don’t think my mom actively avoids relationships in the way that Chris does, but she prioritizes the experience and is always running towards the new horizon. She has taught me to do this. And I love that she has. If it weren’t for my mom’s sense of adventure, I would not be the world traveler I am today. 

My impression of the book so far is that Krakauer really appreciates the ideas and follow through that Chris had throughout his odyssey. It seems as though one of the reasons Krakauer wrote this book and followed up on the messages Chris preached, is because he wanted to clarify that Chris was not some foolish extreamist who wandered into the wilderness and got himself killed. Krakauer really admires our young, adventurous, transcendental hero, and he wants a wider audience to give him more than just a passing glance as well.  

Krakauer hints that Chris might have dismissed relationships too soon. He noticed that Chris avoids meaningful relationships, especially with Franz. He’s running from them, but made these connections nevertheless. Krakauer takes the time to tell the stories of Jim Galliean, Jan Burres, Wayne Westerberg, and Ronald Franz to show that despite preaching about independent nomadic life, Chris really formed a lot of meaningful connections wherever he went. Only when Chris becomes completely isolated does he die in Alaska, cold and alone. 

So I wonder, what is more important for modern readers; experiences or relationships?

Experiences bring me great joy. I love to travel. I love having a job that is different everyday. I love to go out and sense the world; be stimulated by reality and variety. For example, one Friday afternoon in October, I got a text from a friend of mine that lived in LA while I was in Santa Barbara. My plan after work was to go to a union meeting then head home and do chores. Nothing fancy, but it would help keep me comfortable in my routine. The text said, “Any chance you can make it to Six Flags fright fest tonight with me and Alison?” “Of course not.” was the automatic response I first typed out, but then, I paused. Why not? I thought. I didn’t HAVE to go to the union meeting. What was really stopping me? Nothing. So I left work and drove straight to magic mountain. We stayed up way later than we would have, but I rode some awesome roller coasters, caught up with old friends and got into the Halloween spirit. It was spontaneous, and not easy to get down to LA on a Friday afternoon, but it made me feel more alive than vacuuming and dishes ever could. 

Experiences also teach me a lot about myself. When Covid refused to let up  in 2021, I had already booked a trip to Chicago for that spring. I was solo, vaccinated, and masked up, so I went. The trip was really fun. Most places were closed, but I made the most of my time, walking all over the city. At first, I was really afraid to be going somewhere I had never been before, but once I got my bearings, and booked a few excursions like a river tour, I found that I really loved the freedom. Even on unfamiliar ground I could be resourceful, and adventurous. I learned so much about the history of Chicago, and saw things I would have missed if I stayed cautious and confined to my own hometown. 

Relationships, on the other hand, ground me. They remind me of my core. I cannot fully process my experiences without connecting with other people. I don’t think relationships without experience are very meaningful, and I don’t think experience in isolation can be fully appreciated either. My memory is not always the greatest. It’s not medically concerning, or anything, but when I compare it to my best friends, there is no question that she can recall much more than I can. She’ll remember the face of a girl who wore a red sweater everyday in 6th grade. She’ll recall the names of people who attended the same party as us over thanksgiving break during our first year in college. And, most surprisingly, she can remember the exact comments that people wrote to her in birthday cards from when she was seven. It’s incredible. When we reminisce about the past we color in the details for each other and help bring our memories back to life. We get to live twice in this way. Once in every moment together as it happens, and then again, when we laugh and share these memories years later. If it wasn’t for this shared experience, we would both have missed out on a lot. 

Relationships can also determine the outcome of an experience. Besides the fact that adventuring with a buddy can always ensure that someone is there to go get help when things get dicey, they also make life easier by helping carry any heavy load. I’ve never valued the relationship I share with my brothers more than when my parents got divorced. There is something about a sibling’s shared experience that can bring comfort in even the most stressful of times. Only my brothers know what it is like to have lived as a family, with both my parents, and then to navigate the waters post-divorce with all the complexities of our particular personalities. Validation comes from true authentic empathy, and who better to teach us this than family? 

The biggest gap I see in Chris’s reasoning and attempt at a relationship-free life, is that you can experience a relationship and each relationship is a new experience too. I am worried that in our new technological era, people can connect and foster relationships so easily that they neglect true experience. As a result, they might have superficial relationships, and no experience at all. They may see someone dance down a street or make a hot cheeto mozzarella stick on social media, but they only ever swipe by, and never taste the tangy guey madness or feel the warmth of the sun on their own dancing legs. There is a real fear nowadays that people tick off experiences and collect them for followers or clout without taking the time or putting in the effort  to foster lasting connections. They experience taking photos and posting them, but reality, patience, grit, and resilience might wilt and fade as a consequence. Into the Wild reminds us that even today, we need to be thinking critically about our place in the world, and how we want to live in and share it. Whether we are mindful of our experiences and take the time to get out of our comfort zone, or if we form thoughtful relationships that ground and support us, we all should be aware of how we approach these lives we lead.