But it also demonstrates how difficult it is to correct a false belief after people have made an emotional investment in that belief being true. When… - Jon Krakauer

When our heroes turn out to be sleazebags, self-deception is easier than facing the facts.

In reality, the [American legal] system promotes chicanery, outright deceit, and other egregious conduct by trial lawyers.

Everett was strange,' Sleight concedes. 'Kind of different. But him and McCandless, at least they tried to follow their dream. That's what was great about them. They tried. Not many do.

I didn't doubt the potential value of paying attention to subconscious cues...problem was, my inner voice resembled Chicken Little: it was screaming that I was about to die, but it did that almost every time I laced up my climbing boots.