[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.