[fatherzine]

These days I purposefully avoid as much travel research as possible, and intently choose to immerse in the place and moment instead. I'm happy to miss that 4.97 stars dinner place, and instead enjoy interacting with a less-than-Instagram-perfect dinner & perhaps some flesh-and-bones human company.

[stavros]

I'm not sure this dichotomy isn't false. I can enjoy the best restaurants a city has to offer without Instagram having anything to do with it, and research doesn't preclude me from having flesh-and-bones company. There may be a good argument for not doing research, but I don't think these are it.

[fatherzine]

Possibly. I'm alluding to the spiritual disposition that expects 4.97 stars or bust. In relationship terms this often maps to expecting the perfect dinner company. When the actual company disappointingly fails to meet that standard, they are summarily dismissed, and the whole experience turns into superficial theater of appearances.

[stavros]

Yeah, that's definitely a phenomenon that can be harmful, as you describe. Still, this seems to be going from one extreme to the other. I guess "everything in moderation" is good advice here too.