Maine Hermit

Off Topic
21

I just find him a pathetic figure, and I don’t mean that in a mean or demeaning way. His existence just makes me shake my head.

I don’t think it’s any coincidence that he comes a family of antisocial people. He just ended up as the logical extreme. What in the hell is wrong with someone that doesn’t call the police when their son just up and disappears? It’s truly sad that an attitude like that was engendered in generations of people to the extent that their legacy decides to completely remove himself from all contact with other humans.

Being an introvert is one thing, and I would call myself one. But positive social interaction is so beneficial to the mind and body that there is no way that this guy couldn’t also benefit from it. There’s a reason he stayed so close to people just on the fringes and didn’t just retreat into true solitude. There’s also a reason he opened up to the author of the article. Like all of us he craves social interaction, but his biggest problem is not having his capacity for it built up over time because of his upbringing. He’s what Malcolm gladwell would call an outlier: the perfect combination of genetics, environment and random luck that allowed him to do what he did.

22

It’s pretty much universal in all human societies to respect the hermit, or at least used to be, and I think that this is one of the ways traditional societies are superior to our own. Some people just can’t hack it, and need a way out. This guy was still something of a parasite, but I would gladly donate to a charity that supported such “hermits” rather than the homeless bums who stand on the corner asking me for spare change or a cigarette.

23

[quote]Aggv wrote:

[quote]magick wrote:
I believe they are the worst kind of people because, afaik, they feel that their selfish needs and desires override all else.

[/quote]

how is it selfish to go into the woods live alone? Please, explain that logic because it’s one of the stupid things i’ve read online in awhile.
[/quote]

Did you read the link? The guy lived off about 40 robberies a year.

24

[quote]Uncle Gabby wrote:
It’s pretty much universal in all human societies to respect the hermit, or at least used to be, and I think that this is one of the ways traditional societies are superior to our own. Some people just can’t hack it, and need a way out. This guy was still something of a parasite, but I would gladly donate to a charity that supported such “hermits” rather than the homeless bums who stand on the corner asking me for spare change or a cigarette.[/quote]

On what planet is a hobo ASKING for spare change worse than a guy who breaks into your house and just takes your stuff?

25

[quote]debraD wrote:

[quote]Aggv wrote:

[quote]magick wrote:
I believe they are the worst kind of people because, afaik, they feel that their selfish needs and desires override all else.

[/quote]

how is it selfish to go into the woods live alone? Please, explain that logic because it’s one of the stupid things i’ve read online in awhile.
[/quote]

Did you read the link? The guy lived off about 40 robberies a year.
[/quote]

I’m referring to McCandless, and people who do not steal from others, but simply live in solitude in nature.

26

[quote]debraD wrote:

[quote]Uncle Gabby wrote:
It’s pretty much universal in all human societies to respect the hermit, or at least used to be, and I think that this is one of the ways traditional societies are superior to our own. Some people just can’t hack it, and need a way out. This guy was still something of a parasite, but I would gladly donate to a charity that supported such “hermits” rather than the homeless bums who stand on the corner asking me for spare change or a cigarette.[/quote]

On what planet is a hobo ASKING for spare change worse than a guy who breaks into your house and just takes your stuff?[/quote]

I think the point was that he’d rather see his tax dollars go to the guy in the woods so he would not have to break into anyone’s home vs. tax dollars going to the hobo who’s going to stand on the corner asking for money with, or without tax dollars. To which i completely agree.

27

[quote]debraD wrote:

[quote]Uncle Gabby wrote:
It’s pretty much universal in all human societies to respect the hermit, or at least used to be, and I think that this is one of the ways traditional societies are superior to our own. Some people just can’t hack it, and need a way out. This guy was still something of a parasite, but I would gladly donate to a charity that supported such “hermits” rather than the homeless bums who stand on the corner asking me for spare change or a cigarette.[/quote]

On what planet is a hobo ASKING for spare change worse than a guy who breaks into your house and just takes your stuff?[/quote]

Where did I say he was worse?

28

[quote]LoRez wrote:

[quote]twojarslave wrote:
Knight definitely stole to survive, but it took a helluva lot of grit as well. Winters with no fire for 27 years, thats just incredible.[/quote]
The article did mention propane heat.[/quote]

I’m just skimming over this again after returning from my…

Camping trip in the Maine woods. Har har.

I missed it the first time around. Yes, the propane heat is a big deal.

But so is fire. Fire is sooooooooo important from a psychological perspective if you are going to be spending any amount of time outside in the cold and dark. Propane heat will keep you from freezing to death, but being in the woods that long with no fire to lift your spirits is just nuts to me.

In fact, I’m not sure anyone else has done that in modern times. 27 years outside with no fire. Incredible.

29

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
May have missed it, but did they ever find his tent? How do we know he didn’t just bounce from unoccupied cabin to unoccupied cabin during his adventures in isolation? [/quote]

I missed this one as well.

Yes, the tent location has been known since shortly after he was caught. There are pictures in the article I linked in the OP.

I guess we can’t know for certain that he has not been staying in cabins, but I am inclined to believe that he did not for three reasons.

  1. There is no evidence that he ever stayed at a cabin.

  2. Staying at a cabin would dramatically increase his risk of getting caught, and the fact that he avoided capture for 27 years is an obvious indicator of his caution.

  3. This guy has almost zero motive to lie about it. He just wants to go back to the woods, not sign a book deal or make a Discovery Channel documentary.

30

[quote]twojarslave wrote:
3) This guy has almost zero motive to lie about it. He just wants to go back to the woods, not sign a book deal or make a Discovery Channel documentary.
[/quote]

Call me exceedingly naive, and lord knows there are plenty of scam artists out there doing everything from fake swimming with sharks videos to whatever else - but I agree with this point of view. He doesn’t exactly strike the profile of someone who needs to make his “adventures” any more fantastic than they already are for the sake of money, fame, etc.

31

Knight expressed remorse for the breaking and entering and robberies. Interesting how criminals tend to apologize AFTER they get caught. I have trouble feeling sympathy for someone who repeatedly violates others’ peace of mind when they’re at their most vulnerable - in bed and asleep.

He claims he never broke in when anyone was home. This is just his word. And how can he or anyone else commit “a total of more than a thousand break-ins” and NOT ONCE do so when residents were home? Furthermore, on the occasions he broke in when the home was empty, couldn’t he have used the opportunity to escape the Maine winter…? He had sufficient time to observe and pick which homes to break into and when.

Everybody tells the occasional fib or little white lie. The criminals I’ve known tend to be habitual liars and prone to hyperbole.

He called Thoreau a dilettante. It’s true that his stay in the woods was much longer and much less comfortable. At least Thoreau used his experience to inspire others. Yes, very few are gifted enough to write Walden or anything remotely close. However, there’s a certain arrogance and hypocrisy Knight displays when he selectively chooses to remain in contact with society by stealing books, magazines, and listening to radio broadcasts.

Be careful what you wish for. If people jump on the Knight bandwagon and get a petition going to do what the OP suggests, and should that pass in Maine, this ‘solution’ just may create a larger problem in the long run.

32

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:
Be careful what you wish for. If people get on the Knight bandwagon and get a petition going to do what the OP suggests, and should that pass in Maine, this ‘solution’ just may create a larger problem in the long run.
[/quote]

I’ve thought about this, what sort of precedent would hiring this guy for a minimum wage salary to do various forestry and wildlife management tasks set?

And I can’t think of anything. I doubt people would be lining up for that gig. And even if they were, at least the Maine taxpayer is getting a service.

Maine already has a problem with people relocating here for the sole purpose of collecting benefits (although our much-maligned governor has worked to change the laws that made that career move so easy).

How could this possibly be worse than that?

33

[quote]twojarslave wrote:

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:
Be careful what you wish for. If people get on the Knight bandwagon and get a petition going to do what the OP suggests, and should that pass in Maine, this ‘solution’ just may create a larger problem in the long run.
[/quote]

I’ve thought about this, what sort of precedent would hiring this guy for a minimum wage salary to do various forestry and wildlife management tasks set?

And I can’t think of anything. I doubt people would be lining up for that gig. And even if they were, at least the Maine taxpayer is getting a service.

Maine already has a problem with people relocating here for the sole purpose of collecting benefits (although our much-maligned governor has worked to change the laws that made that career move so easy).

How could this possibly be worse than that?
[/quote]

Valid points.

Yet, I’ve learned (often the hard way) the moment I think I’ve got all the angles and ramifications figured out I’m very much mistaken.

Now add the various political agendas from differing parties to the mix, and I can easily see how this thing gets out of hand. Hence my warning.

There are websites such as change.org where supporters for any given issue can make their voices heard. I’d be surprised if the Knight situation goes that far. If it does, it’ll make for an interesting social experiment.

34

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:

[quote]twojarslave wrote:

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:
Be careful what you wish for. If people get on the Knight bandwagon and get a petition going to do what the OP suggests, and should that pass in Maine, this ‘solution’ just may create a larger problem in the long run.
[/quote]

I’ve thought about this, what sort of precedent would hiring this guy for a minimum wage salary to do various forestry and wildlife management tasks set?

And I can’t think of anything. I doubt people would be lining up for that gig. And even if they were, at least the Maine taxpayer is getting a service.

Maine already has a problem with people relocating here for the sole purpose of collecting benefits (although our much-maligned governor has worked to change the laws that made that career move so easy).

How could this possibly be worse than that?
[/quote]

Valid points.

Yet, I’ve learned (often the hard way) the moment I think I’ve got all the angles and ramifications figured out I’m very much mistaken.

Now add the various political agendas from differing parties to the mix, and I can easily see how this thing gets out of hand. Hence my warning.

There are websites such as change.org where supporters for any given issue can make their voices heard. I’d be surprised if the Knight situation goes that far. If it does, it’ll make for an interesting social experiment. [/quote]

The chances of what I suggest actually coming to pass are nil, precisely due to the reasons you mention.

I would not be surprised to see a number of people offer him use of their land. It may be that he will need to accept a certain minimum of human contact, not to mention joining the economy somehow.

Maybe that book deal isn’t all that unlikely after all.

35

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:

…I have trouble feeling sympathy for someone who repeatedly violates others’ peace of mind when they’re at their most vulnerable - in bed and asleep.

He claims he never broke in when anyone was home. This is just his word. And how can he or anyone else commit “a total of more than a thousand break-ins” and NOT ONCE do so when residents were home?

[/quote]

I also wanted to address this point. Yes, I believe that claim for two reasons.

  1. Evading capture for 27 years is direct evidence of this. Capture and the end of life as he knows it becomes dramatically more likely if someone is home. It took trail cameras to catch him.

  2. There is no shortage of unoccupied cabins, especially during the Maine winter. Any given pond can have dozens, and we have lots of ponds. Even during the summer there will be cabins unoccupied for weeks at a time or longer.

36

[quote]twojarslave wrote:

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:

[quote]twojarslave wrote:

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:
Be careful what you wish for. If people get on the Knight bandwagon and get a petition going to do what the OP suggests, and should that pass in Maine, this ‘solution’ just may create a larger problem in the long run.
[/quote]

I’ve thought about this, what sort of precedent would hiring this guy for a minimum wage salary to do various forestry and wildlife management tasks set?

And I can’t think of anything. I doubt people would be lining up for that gig. And even if they were, at least the Maine taxpayer is getting a service.

Maine already has a problem with people relocating here for the sole purpose of collecting benefits (although our much-maligned governor has worked to change the laws that made that career move so easy).

How could this possibly be worse than that?
[/quote]

Valid points.

Yet, I’ve learned (often the hard way) the moment I think I’ve got all the angles and ramifications figured out I’m very much mistaken.

Now add the various political agendas from differing parties to the mix, and I can easily see how this thing gets out of hand. Hence my warning.

There are websites such as change.org where supporters for any given issue can make their voices heard. I’d be surprised if the Knight situation goes that far. If it does, it’ll make for an interesting social experiment. [/quote]

The chances of what I suggest actually coming to pass are nil, precisely due to the reasons you mention.

I would not be surprised to see a number of people offer him use of their land. It may be that he will need to accept a certain minimum of human contact, not to mention joining the economy somehow.

Maybe that book deal isn’t all that unlikely after all.[/quote]

As far as we know, he wasn’t a violent criminal. This works in his favor. As you said, some may see him in a more forgiving light and allow him to use their land.

He originally scoffed at the idea of a book. I won’t be surprised if he accepts a lucrative deal from a publishing company (if such a deal is offered).This will provide the financial freedom he needs to return to his former life style.

In either case, he’ll have to accept some dependence on society - just as he did during his self-imposed exile.

John Donne had it right: “No man is an island”

37

[quote]twojarslave wrote:

[quote]MinotaurXXX wrote:

…I have trouble feeling sympathy for someone who repeatedly violates others’ peace of mind when they’re at their most vulnerable - in bed and asleep.

He claims he never broke in when anyone was home. This is just his word. And how can he or anyone else commit “a total of more than a thousand break-ins” and NOT ONCE do so when residents were home?

[/quote]

I also wanted to address this point. Yes, I believe that claim for two reasons.

  1. Evading capture for 27 years is direct evidence of this. Capture and the end of life as he knows it becomes dramatically more likely if someone is home. It took trail cameras to catch him.

  2. There is no shortage of unoccupied cabins, especially during the Maine winter. Any given pond can have dozens, and we have lots of ponds. Even during the summer there will be cabins unoccupied for weeks at a time or longer.[/quote]

He did some work installing burglary alarms, as I recall from the article. So he had insight on breaking and entering. The reason he was eventually caught can be attributed to motion sensor technology (something that may have bordered on science fiction 27 years ago, the last time he was a contributing member to the workforce).

One of the residents the author interviewed mentioned something about how his new propane tank was mysteriously replaced by an old one. Sure, it’s possible he wasn’t home at the time. This is a concession I don’t mind giving.

Another resident mentioned that he slept with a .357 under his pillow (or something to that effect). This suggests that some break-ins occurred when people were inside.

The article also mentioned how Knight would try on various glasses whenever he had the chance. People generally do not leave their glasses behind when vacating a home for the winter. Anyone with poor vision will attest if their glasses are missing, they know it right away.

The article mentioned over a 1000+ break ins. The probability of the houses being empty for each and every one of those occasions is something too far-fetched, imo, to entertain.

Let’s say you’re right. Let’s say each and every one of those 1000+ break-ins took place when the house was empty. I find it impossible to believe that he didn’t take a brief respite from the Maine winter from time to time. All he had to do was pick the most remote cabin, make sure nearby cabins were also unoccupied, keep a low profile, and leave at or before dawn the following day.

So, one way or another, I take his claims with a grain of salt.

EDIT:

I’d be interested in a comprehensive interview of ALL the residents in the area during the time span to see how many were actually inside the residence when the burglaries took place. 27 years is a lot of water under the bridge, so it’ll be next to impossible to take such a survey.

Regardless, I read this article as objectively as possible and I smell a few exaggerations.

38

Living off the grid is commendable, but I have no respect for anyone who steals, robs, loots, burglarizes, etc.
This dude made the choice to live off grid.