[smokeyj]

I don't take it that way. In terms of "broadening your horizons" it's easy to travel and not connect with the local culture. You're just a tourist, window shopping into the lives of the local people. Strolling through with your selfie stick to earn social credibility on the Gram.

That said, I think people who enjoy Rick Steves would also be the type to make an effort to get the authentic experience. Could be my own projection.

[umeshunni]

The examples the tweeter gave like 'reading' as just really poor substitutes for travel, especially if you're a white, English-speaking, west-coast person like the tweeter. Reading the opinion column of the New York Times will probably close their minds further than open it up.

Hanging out with other people who are wealthy/liberal enough to make it to and live in San Francisco will also do the same. Amplify the echo chamber rather than break it down.

I grew up in India and the Middle East in a very different sociocultural background with different values than the west coast, liberal, tech-elite culture I live in now and I find many of the people around me now have a much narrower world-view despite their education and 'reading'.

[oh_sigh]

So what if you don't connect with the local culture? What if that isn't your point of traveling?

[askafriend]

You don’t have to do anything.

The tweet began with a premise. If the premise for travel is “broadening your horizons” then the assertion is that there are far cheaper, more accessible ways to do that than hopping on a transatlantic jet and spending a week in a foreign place. There is a real conversation to be had about the impact of tourism on local ways of life and local economies (both in good ways and bad).

If the premise for travel is “because I want to”, then by all means go ahead...

It’d be helpful if people thought a bit more about what other people are saying and were more charitable about interpretations instead of finding the first reason to get mad.

[oh_sigh]

What if I want to broaden my horizons by visiting the ancient ruins of Rome, Persia, etc? Or going to observe Mountain Gorilla in Biwindi?

> It’d be helpful if people thought a bit more about what other people are saying and were more charitable about interpretations instead of finding the first reason to get mad.

I'm not mad - I just think it was a stupid, self-back-patting point.

[askafriend]

1. She stated it was her opinion. She’s not forcing you to do or think anything.

2. Her assertion was that she thinks it’s overrated, costly, and inefficient. You did nothing to address those points.

If you think travel can be cheaper at achieving the premise, is not overrated at achieving the premise, or that it’s a more efficient ways of achieving the premise of “broadening horizons” than alternatives then that’s a relevant conversation. If you can effectively make those points then we’d have a real conversation on our hands.

Saying it’s “stupid, self-back-patting” is not productive and misses the point entirely.

[oh_sigh]

1. Yes. And I'm allowed to have opinions on other people's opinions.

2. Yes, and that is what I take issue with, and yes, I did address the point. She says that it is 'overrated, super-inefficient way to "broaden your horizons"', and I said that there is more than one way to broaden your horizons than to talk to people who live far away from you, such as going to historical locations or natural settings.

[smokeyj]

Then pack your selfie stick and have yourself a time! I'm not saying there's a right way to travel. The tweet suggested there's more economical ways of "expanding your horizons" than being a chronic tourist. Given the cultural diversity in my own backyard I think the statement is more empowering than gatekeeping.