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This post is intended to be thought provoking. Feel free to skip it if you don't have the time or inclination to noodle on weird philosophical crap. The ideas and quote are from a book "Sapiens".
Travel seems like something that is "inter-subjective".
Objective phenomenon is something that exists, whether humans buy-in or not. Like gravity.
Subjective phenomenon is something that exists for one person. That person can change their mind and it's gone.
Inter-Subjective things are things like fiat currencies...we all believe, and because we do, they have value.
*Imagined Order: Even if I change my personal perspective, the multitudes of others that have not seen the light will continue with the same perspective. I become someone that simply raises an eyebrow.
Travel seems like something that is "inter-subjective".
Objective phenomenon is something that exists, whether humans buy-in or not. Like gravity.
Subjective phenomenon is something that exists for one person. That person can change their mind and it's gone.
Inter-Subjective things are things like fiat currencies...we all believe, and because we do, they have value.
Even what people take to be their most personal desires are usually programmed by the imagined order*. Let's consider, for example, the popular desire to to take a holiday abroad. There is nothing natural or obvious about this. A chimpanzee alpha male would never think of using his power in order to go on holiday into the territory of a neighboring chimpanzee band. The elite of ancient Egypt spent their fortunes building pyramids and having their corpses mummified, but none of them thought of going shopping in Babylonia or taking a skiing holiday in Phoenicia. People today spend a great deal of money on holidays abroad because they are true believers in the myths of romantic consumerism.
Romanticism tesll sus that in order to make the most of our human potential we must have as many different experiences as we can. We must open ourselves to a wide spectrum of emotions; we must sample various kinds of relationships; we must try different cuisines; we must learn to appreciate different styles of music. One of the best ways to do all that is to break free from our daily routine, leave behind our familiar setting, and go traveling in distant lands, were here we can 'experience' the culture, the smells, the tastes and the norms of other people. We hear again and again the romantic myths about 'how a new experiences opened my eyes and changed my life'.
Consumerism tells us that in order to be happy we must consume as many products and services as possible. If we feel that something is missing or not quite right, then we probably need to buy a product (a car, new clothes, organic food) or a service (housekeeping, relationship therapy, yoga classes). Every television commercial is another little legent about how consuming some product or service will make life better
Romanticism, which encourages variety, meshes perfectly with consumerism. Their marriage has given birth to the infinite 'market of experiences', on which the modern tourism industry is founded. The tourism industry does not sell flight tickets and hotel bedrooms. It sells experiences. Paris is not a city, nor India a country - they are both experiences, the consumption of which is supposed to widen our horizons, fulfill our human potential, and make us happier. Consequently, when the relationship between a millionaire and his wife is going through a rocky patch, he takes her on an expensive trip to Paris. The trip is not a reflection of some independent desire, but rather of an ardent belief in the myths of romantic consumerism. A wealthy man in ancient Egypt would never have dreamed of solving a relationship crisis by taking his wife on holiday to Babylon. Instead, he might have built for her the sumptuous tomb she had always wanted.
*Imagined Order: Even if I change my personal perspective, the multitudes of others that have not seen the light will continue with the same perspective. I become someone that simply raises an eyebrow.