Dear Internet, please stop sharing, re-posting, re-tweeting, liking, +’ing, quotes about travel that do not check privileges inherently associated with the ability to pick up and go.
I love travel. I enjoy travel. Heck, I focus in the travel product area at work. But I also understand that the ability to travel is a privilege. It implies wealth (or at least disposable income), ability and confidence to find hospitality (say you have no money but you want to rely on the kindness of strangers – I’m going to assume that this works a lot better for a white male in most parts of the world), physical capability, lack of restrictions of responsibilities for another human being, and more. That’s why quotes like this bother me to no end. It’s as if we’re accusing those who can’t travel (for one reason or another) of lack of imagination, of an inability to aspire for more in life.
Hmm I believe I read these exact same words recently on a popular website. It was a striking thought, because I kept thinking I was somehow missing with life, but the article woke me up.
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I am reading a book called Before the Fall by Noah Hawley right now and the author spent a lot of paragraphs describing what privileges are like to people who have them. To me the ability to CHOOSE to “slum it” is a manifestation of privileges.
May I ask you to elaborate what do you mean by “slum it”?
I’ll immediately grasp your rss as I can’t to find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service.
Do you’ve any? Please allow me understand in order that I may subscribe.
Thanks.
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you can travel if your family financial background is good. If you are struggling to make ends meet travelling is not a thing for you … people who travel all their lives by doing whatever work they can find on their way surprise me..
So much of this. Things like “of course you should pay for your kids’ college education.” Our children will pay their way, as we did, because that way…. you feel the cost of any credit that you fail.