Michael Finkel
Chris Knight knew how to hunt -- before he went to the woods, he often hunted with his father and brothers.
But it's very inefficient, energy-wise, to hunt in Maine, especially in winter.
Knight often compared himself with animals, and he noted that animals will almost alway use the most energy-efficient ways of gathering food. For example, in my home in Montana, my garbage cans are sometimes raided by bears. Why didn't those bears go and gather berries instead? Because it used a lot less energy and effort to eat the leftovers in my garbage.
Same with Chris. Breaking into cabins was so much easier, so much more energy efficient than trying to hunt. If he'd only hunted and fished for food, he almost certainly would've starved to death long ago.
Even with stealing, he barely survived some winters. In a funny way, Knight's decision to steal, one can argue, is the more "natural" way to go -- the way most animals would have chosen, if they had the type of hands that allowed them to pick locks.
But it's very inefficient, energy-wise, to hunt in Maine, especially in winter.
Knight often compared himself with animals, and he noted that animals will almost alway use the most energy-efficient ways of gathering food. For example, in my home in Montana, my garbage cans are sometimes raided by bears. Why didn't those bears go and gather berries instead? Because it used a lot less energy and effort to eat the leftovers in my garbage.
Same with Chris. Breaking into cabins was so much easier, so much more energy efficient than trying to hunt. If he'd only hunted and fished for food, he almost certainly would've starved to death long ago.
Even with stealing, he barely survived some winters. In a funny way, Knight's decision to steal, one can argue, is the more "natural" way to go -- the way most animals would have chosen, if they had the type of hands that allowed them to pick locks.
More Answered Questions
Bamstutz
asked
Michael Finkel:
As I read your book about Christopher Knight I couldn't help thinking about Christopher McCandless. They were both part of the post-boomer generation (born in the mid 1960's), rejected modern life, and went off to find authenticity in the wild/woods. What are your thoughts about the cultural significance of these two men? What can we learn from their quests?
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