Chris McCandless: Idiot or Hero?

More than reading the story, I enjoyed readers' discussion about McCandless's character where they go into two different directions. Those who support him completely and think of him as a hero, often argue that he is a spiritual person who gives up the fancy life for an extreme adventure. In contrast; others observe him as an idiot and irresponsible individual who is full with excitement that blinds his eyes from seeing the real tough world.

==================

What I honestly think of him is that he seems to be a successful person who managed to be elite throughout his studying life and many of those who have met him during his travels realized his good manners and his intelligence, so he is a special guy that rarely found in this world.
==================

The strange thing about him that made me believe he has got some issues is when he first burned his money and abandoned his life to live in the wilderness. Why would he burn his money??? Why couldn't he gave them to those who are in need for a little of what he had???? Why didn't he take them with him so he would buy food and rent a place to live in?? I clearly know that he wanted to find himself freely without all of these materialistic stuff, but is that possible i.e. who can live without these basic things????
==================

I think he could’ve found his lost soul in other ways even if he would insist in travelling alone to the wilderness, its fine if he just prepared himself for everything. The fact is that he appears to be an idealism person who thinks that he can live in another world that hardly anyone has been to.
==================

Another thing is that no one can live alone in this world. We were created to live in societies. We weren't born alone but with our parents around us and in life full with people with different races, religions and classes. Even animals can't make it alone, they mostly travel in groups to protect each other and when one loses the group, killing by other animals is a great possibility to happen and the same thing happens with human being.
==================

The mainly thing that I really dislike about McCandless is when he stopped contacting his parents. He didn't call them back, didn't reply to their letters. They were so worried that they travelled all the way to see him and he wasn’t there.
==================

I think that I criticized him a lot because of his naïveté. On the other hand, I liked him for his good values and morals.

==================