Chris saw his parents as a perfect example of the corruption in society. They were well-off, had status in the community, and were raising their children to follow in their footsteps. Chris wanted something different, and viewed success in society as a chain that restrained him from new experiences. Although he understood the need to work and make money, he never tried to excel at any one task; when he worked in a fast-food restaurant, his co-workers remember that he always worked at the same steady pace, never stressing himself even when the place was busy.
[Chris], the teenage Tolstoyan, believed that wealth was shameful, corrupting, inherently evil -- which is ironic because Chris was a natural-born capitalist with anuncanny knack for making a buck.
(Krakauer, Into the Wild, Amazon.com)
This worldview came to a head when Chris symbolically burned all of his paper money, leaving himself to survive entirely on his own merits. He tried to keep moving, never staying in one place too long, and never making emotional connections that might constrain his movements. However, in an emotional moment with his father, Chris did reveal that he respected a hard work ethic and the drive to succeed for the sake of family. Chris's views were complex and hard to define, but it is clear that he valued personal integrity over most other traits.
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