Hunter S. Thompson Essay

I have seen this quote many times before and it has always stood out to me. It makes you rethink a lot of your choices in your life. It makes you want to go out and do something crazy. It doesn’t even have to be that but it should just inspire you to go out and experience life and all it has to offer.
The man who spoke this quote and many other ones similar to it is Hunter S. Thompson. Born in July of 1937 and deceased in 2005, he was an author, journalist, and activist. He is responsible for creating the “Gonzo journalism” movement, a highly personal style of reporting where a writer becomes so involved in the story that they become central figures in their piece. His lifestyle was made known for his extreme usage of drugs and alcohol.

Much like the quote, he was thoroughly used up and totally worn out.

He was incarcerated for 60 days due to a robbery after he was unable to finish high school. Thompson spent a year living and riding with Hell’s Angels for the publication of a book. He got to hear their stories and experience their lives first hand.
Gonzo journalism became his claim to fame. He involved himself in his writing to the point that he became a main character in it. His best known work would be “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream” which was released in 1971. It was a tale of a long weekend road trip that dove into the American pop culture as one of the strangest journeys ever recorded.
The fame got to him though and he suffered the consequences because he was to easily recognize to report as certain events. He struggles with alcohol and drug abuse and was well known for his love of firearms. This led to him truly ending up at the grave in a cloud of smoke all beat up when he committed suicide at the age of 67.
Thompson knew how to get people riled up with his words and wanting to out and take on the world. He desire to actuate the American dream and live his life fully was like none other. For a man to live with absolutely no regrets is a rarity but I believe he achieved it with the way he just saw the world

differently.
I could not find an exact reason for his writing of this quote but I think it relates mostly to personal experience for Thompson. He went out and lived his life without overthinking it too much and experiencing anything and everything he was able to squeeze himself into. To me the quote virtually means the same thing but I focus more on the first part of the quote about not being in a well preserved body because it steers me away from focusing on my appearance but more towards to being comfortable with who I am. I really hope that this quote is able to get everyone excited about living because it makes me want to run away on a spontaneous adventure and not come back until I have a new story to add to my list.