The New Man

Are you lost or do you have a clear sense of purpose? Do you seek or avoid risk? And do you feel that you’re part of a group that you would die for? Sebastian Junger is no stranger to danger. As a war reporter, he experienced intense combat in Afghanistan and nearly lost his life in other parts of the globe. He’s documented his experiences in gripping films like Restrepo and Korengal as well as books like War, Tribe, and his latest Freedom. And — oh yeah — he wrote a book called The Perfect Storm which you may have heard of, too. Freedom is his most recent book where he discusses what he calls The Last Patrol. It’s a long hike he did with several other veterans along the railways of America. In the book he describes the history of the land, what freedom really means, and the best ways to dodge authorities trying to arrest them for hiking next to speeding trains. Today Sebastian and I explore why humans benefit from danger, our need to belong to a group, and what he saw in the moments before his death.