So, I don’t know if this is really an unpopular opinion, but when I talk about it with people around me, very few share my view. Traveling far is often portrayed as something essential to building one’s identity and to being happy, but in my opinion, this idea was created by capitalism during the 20th century. Traveling long distances by plane for short stays (let’s say arbitrarily less than 3 months) causes massive pollution while not really giving enough time to truly get to know the local population, learn the language, and deeply experience the destination. Under the pretext of wanting to “discover the planet,” we actually contribute to its destruction, which is profoundly selfish.
It’s a privilege of rich countries (taking flights for vacations), but if every human on earth had this possibility, we’d be heading straight for disaster. Personally, I think that real travel happens either over a long period (which is rarely possible) or at shorter distances, with genuine immersion in nature (for example, a long hike), where you reconnect with yourself and with nature. Of course, I would love to go and discover places on the other side of the world, but I don’t believe it’s essential for my happiness (even though many people seem to feel that way).
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I have only 4 weeks of paid vacation at my job. I barely have enough money to stay in Japan for 2 weeks. I’m going there in the next month. I am pretty sure that my situation is not that unique. And you telling me that unless I can stay for at least 2-3 months I am privileged consumerist.
I want to go there, and probably in other places later in my life. And these “short” travels are the only way I can do i it. And again, I am pretty sure I am not the only one with conditions like that.
We are all different and we all do different stuff when we have time off. A person that likes travelling usually cannot get a 3 months holiday from their workplace, so they will go for 2 weeks instead. That makes sense.
Thanks for the laugh early so early in the morning, this point of view is so misguided and off the mark it’s funny
I think the vision needs to look forward, how do we make this energy efficient or green?
We need progress, humans will not give up air travel.