I knew that you couldn't make a living simply writing about the outdoors, so I made an effort from the beginning of my freelance career to write about other subjects.
Jon KrakauerRead
He read a lot. He used a lot of big words. I think maybe part of what got him into trouble was that he did too much thinking. Sometimes he tried too hard to make sense of the world, to figure out why people were bad to each other so often. A couple of times I tried to tell him it was a mistake to get too deep into that kind of stuff, but Alex got stuck on things. He always had to know the absolute right answer before he could go on to the next thing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the consequences of overthinking and seeking absolute answers, which can lead to confusion and frustration.
This quote by Jon Krakauer illustrates the struggles faced by a character named Alex, who is portrayed as an avid reader and a deep thinker. Despite his intellectual pursuits, Alex's tendency to overanalyze human behavior and seek definitive explanations for the world's complexities becomes a source of trouble for him. His fixation on finding the absolute right answers causes him to get stuck and prevents him from moving forward, suggesting that sometimes, overthinking can hinder one's ability to engage with life meaningfully.
Themes
OverthinkingAnswersWisdomComplexityFrustration
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the challenges of understanding human nature, this quote can highlight the importance of finding balance in our thoughts.
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Almost every magazine piece I've ever written, I felt like I haven't done it justice, like it was just a gloss.
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