If you don't take it, I'm going to throw it away," Alex cheerfully retorted. "I don't want to know what time it is. I don't want to know what day it is or where I am. None of that matters. Jon Krakauer More Quotes by Jon Krakauer More Quotes From Jon Krakauer It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something badly enough, it is your God-given right to have it. Jon Krakauer want-something desire believe I thought climbing the Devil's Thumb would fix all that was wrong with my life. In the end, of course, it changed almost nothing. But I came to appreciate that mountains make poor receptacles for dreams. Jon Krakauer climbing appreciate dream And if I remain in the dark about our purpose here, and the meaning of eternity, I have nevertheless arrived at an understanding of a few more modest truths: Most of us fear death. Most of us yearn to comprehend how we got here, and why-- which is to say, most of us ache to know the love of our creator. And we will no doubt feel that ache, most of us, for as long as we happen to be alive. Jon Krakauer understanding dark long Don't settle down and sit in one place. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon. You are still going to live a long timeand it would be a shame if you did not take the opportunity to revolutionize your life and move into an entirely new realm of experience.My point is that you do not need me or anyone elseThe only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubbornness Jon Krakauer fighting opportunity moving Mountains make poor receptacles for dreams. Jon Krakauer climbing mountain dream Its not always necessary to be strong, but to feel strong. Jon Krakauer strength inspiring inspirational That's what was great about him. He tried. Not many do. Jon Krakauer According to the moral absolutism that characterizes McCandless's beliefs, a challenge in which a successful outcome is assured isn't a challenge at all. Jon Krakauer moral-absolutism challenges success HAPPINESS is ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED Jon Krakauer happiness love peace I think part of the appeal of Antarctica is experiencing some sort of power, the forces of the natural world. Jon Krakauer natural world thinking But now that I was finally here, standing on the summit of Mount Everest, I just couldn't summon the energy to care. Jon Krakauer nature energy travel I mean, how can you not be a feminist if you have a brain in your head? If you’re not a feminist, then you’re a problem. Jon Krakauer feminist brain mean I read somewhere... how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong, but to feel strong... to measure yourself at least once. Jon Krakauer important strong feels Although the far territory of the extreme can exert an intoxicating pull on susceptible individuals of all bents, extremism seems to be especially prevalent among those inclined by temperament or upbringing toward religious pursuits. Faith is the very antithesis of reason, injudiciousness a crucial component of spiritual devotion. And when religious fanaticism supplants ratiocination, all bets are suddenly off. Jon Krakauer atheist religious spiritual If you're bumming out, you're not gonna get to the top, so as long as we're up here we might as well make a point of grooving. (Quoting Scott Fischer) Jon Krakauer fischer might long Everest has always been a magnet for kooks, publicity seekers, hopeless romantics and others with a shaky hold on reality. Jon Krakauer publicity hopeless-romantic reality I love being outdoors, being in the mountains and the desert, and my wife enjoys that too. That's one of the things that sustain our relationship. Jon Krakauer mountain wife love-is To the contrary: His life hummed with meaning and purpose. But the meaning he wrested from existence lay beyond the comfortable path: McCandless distrusted the value of things that came easily. Jon Krakauer meaning-of-life purpose path Getting to the top of any given mountain was considered much less important than how one got there: prestige was earned by tackling the most unforgiving routes with minimal equipment, in the boldest style imaginable. Jon Krakauer mountain style important As a means of motivating people to be cruel or inhumane-as a means of inciting evil, to borrow the vocabulary of the devout-there may be no more potent force than religion. Jon Krakauer vocabulary mean people
