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The Unsettling Truth About the 'Mostly Harmless' Hiker

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Nicholas Thompson

Backchannel
01.12.2021 03:27 PM

The Unsettling Truth About the 'Mostly Harmless' Hiker

His emaciated body was discovered in a tent, just a few miles from a
major Florida highway. His identity--and troubled past--were discovered
by the internet.

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collage of images of a man scraps of paper and a map
Illustration: Sam Whitney; Getty Images

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Sometimes the most alluring stories we tell are the ones with the
details left out. Objects and faces can be prettier in the half
light. We see a faint shape and we add the lines and shadows we want.
We hear one part of a story and add another part that we hope might
be true.

[nicholas_t]
Nicholas Thompson is the editor in chief of Wired. You can send him
story tips at nxthompson@protonmail or via Twitter DM. And you can
find more information at nickthompson.com.
Editor in Chief

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