Helen Keller once said "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." Chris McCandless believed in this thought. However, Chris's "daring adventure" also caused his rapid demise. People risk their lives for many reasons. Maybe a person is suicidal or maybe he is foolish and unprepared. I believe many people, including Chris McCandless, risk their lives for an adventure because life is short, and why not take risks while a person still can. Or conversely, a person might be looking for a thrill, or attempting to test their worth, or simply trying to decide who they really are. Chris McCandless and many other adventurers risk their lives to experience the thrill that an exhibit can offer. In Judith Kleinfeld's article, "McCandless: Hero or Dumb Jerk," she describes different types of people who strive to be like McCandless, "The Hero: a person who follows his dreams, trying to prove himself against adversity and the risk to live life fully." Kleinfeld states that people who claim to be a hero do not risk their lives because they don't care if they live or die, they take risks to ensure that a person lives a fruitful and exciting life. A person may often experience excitement in living life to the fullest of his or her ability, which may or may not be dangerous. Neal Karlinsky agreed with Kleinfeld that people take risks as an expression of living life and experiencing the thrill of danger. “The 29-year-old is on the journey of a lifetime… a journey that could cost him his life. And he couldn't be happier." Karlinsky states that a person is happiest when his life is about to end. I believe that people who risk their lives for adventure all have the same view on the subject. The truth is that life is fleeting. I b...... half of the sheet ...... e. «We like company, you see, but we can't stand being around people for very long. So we go and get lost, come back for a while and then leave again.” (Page.... The truth is, if everyone enjoyed being with other people throughout their lives, our entire world would be covered in highly populated cities. However, a large portion of the world is covered in remote terrain that requires people to explore. People go on adventures in wide open spaces because they are the most practical place for a person to discover who they really are. People like Chris go on bold, solitary adventures because they are then able to focus on themselves and things who matter most; who they are inside. McCandless: Hero or Stupid Idiot? Judith Kleinfeld (Published: July 20, 2001) http://powpak.dl.noacsc.org/powpak/data/csiebeneck/articles/document_ar48.pdf