Heidegger and Chris McCandless

        There are three central components that make up Heidegger's philosophy: the need to be alive, the need for true human connection, and the need for more personal freedom. The need to be alive means people must to come to terms with our existence and our questions about a seemingly inevitable nothingness. The need for true human connection means that all forms of life (both animated and inanimate) are connected and once we become less focused on ourselves, only then can we become one with other beings. The need for more personal freedom means that one must realize the restrictions that are placed on us, by ourselves and society; when we do we can overcome these limitations and transform into a more authentic being. 

In an English class we've finished reading Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild". This journalistic novel covers the life and death of Chris McCandless, who traveled all over the the U.S. and parts of Mexico before finishing his journey in Alaska. During the McCandless odyssey Chris had a few near death experiences, most notably an incident in Baja California where he almost drowned. Yet he continued with such seemingly reckless behavior because he felt truly alive when he survived these challenges. This is much like Heidegger's need to be in touch with our true inner being, much more than simply living. For Chris, by completing such daunting tasks, he gave himself a thrill he wouldn't have had by living on the path set by others for him. This is also what led him to a more extreme sense of personal freedoms. By creating his own path, he gave way to what would become his beautifully tragic journey and fulfilled his intense desire for freedom from what he saw as an artificial world. Then towards the end of his life, it seemed that he began to crave more of a shared experience in which he could connect with others. In one of the books he had in his possession, he noted that "HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED" and began to use more inclusive language when writing in his books ("...MAY GOD BLESS ALL!"). 

        Being an educated person, it can be hypothesized that maybe he read something of Heidegger's at some point; it's also equally probable that he didn't. In any case, much of Heidegger's philosophy can be found in the journey of Chris McCandless.