Loved this conclusion : "But travel seems more a band-aid than a solution to the dreary sameness of a lot of jobs. If our regular life was filled with more novelty and interest, perhaps it would require less escaping from."
I see a common trend in all those wide angled photos, they don't tell the story we need, they tell the story we crave. We want shots of escapism and viola we get them with the travelogues.
The idea of watching somebody else enjoying their life seems daunting to me. However sometimes it can also act as a motivation since it widens the perspective to take a break when work gets really hectic.
First things first, an extremely well-written piece and it certainly provides food for thought.
However, I'm not really convinced with the interpretation of a couple of historical references that were used. Let me try and explain why.
Ibn Battuta's reputation firmly rested on his ability to enchant audiences with narratives built around the distinctiveness of human behaviors and cultures. His keen eye for detail allowed him to recount experiences with a humanistic approach, which won him many admirers, including the Sultan of Morocco, who ordered him to narrate and document his experiences in the form of a travelogue, to a writer, who was equally fascinated by Ibn Battuta's travel episodes. Hence, The Rihla. There was a general interest among many to know more about his experiences as a traveler, so one can only imagine him being swarmed by people when walking the streets of Morocco.
The Grand Tour was largely an educational trip, which lasted for about 2-3 years. The prime focus was to explore and imbibe other European cultures. So, in many ways, it had a profound influence on the people who undertook it.
Now, both these references have a common thread. Both belong to eras where travelling for a longer duration and distance wasn't always feasible or viable for most. So, there was a genuine curiosity to know more about various cultures, people and their ways of life. Which now, in many ways, has been diluted by the internet.
Travel had a more broader meaning and significance in the past. So, my attempt has been to clearly distinguish between the purpose and idea of travel from the past and present.
Loved this conclusion : "But travel seems more a band-aid than a solution to the dreary sameness of a lot of jobs. If our regular life was filled with more novelty and interest, perhaps it would require less escaping from."
I see a common trend in all those wide angled photos, they don't tell the story we need, they tell the story we crave. We want shots of escapism and viola we get them with the travelogues.
The idea of watching somebody else enjoying their life seems daunting to me. However sometimes it can also act as a motivation since it widens the perspective to take a break when work gets really hectic.
P.S. : I did laugh at Upamanyu's joke.
First things first, an extremely well-written piece and it certainly provides food for thought.
However, I'm not really convinced with the interpretation of a couple of historical references that were used. Let me try and explain why.
Ibn Battuta's reputation firmly rested on his ability to enchant audiences with narratives built around the distinctiveness of human behaviors and cultures. His keen eye for detail allowed him to recount experiences with a humanistic approach, which won him many admirers, including the Sultan of Morocco, who ordered him to narrate and document his experiences in the form of a travelogue, to a writer, who was equally fascinated by Ibn Battuta's travel episodes. Hence, The Rihla. There was a general interest among many to know more about his experiences as a traveler, so one can only imagine him being swarmed by people when walking the streets of Morocco.
The Grand Tour was largely an educational trip, which lasted for about 2-3 years. The prime focus was to explore and imbibe other European cultures. So, in many ways, it had a profound influence on the people who undertook it.
Now, both these references have a common thread. Both belong to eras where travelling for a longer duration and distance wasn't always feasible or viable for most. So, there was a genuine curiosity to know more about various cultures, people and their ways of life. Which now, in many ways, has been diluted by the internet.
Travel had a more broader meaning and significance in the past. So, my attempt has been to clearly distinguish between the purpose and idea of travel from the past and present.
Interesting take on travelling, I shall say, spot on. Travelling won't be same again for me after reading this article.
I love that you expressed a point of view that we hardly ever read about!
Such a refreshing take on travelling! I've never really thought about it in this way, thank you for encouraging me to think differently