Today I have for you yet another addition to the list of things you don’t (necessarily) need to buy. In addition to kids’ toys and skincare products, I’ve been questioning the role of travel in my life for some time now.
Some context I should disclose: I’ve been blessed with incredible travel opportunities in my 4+ decades on this planet. I have, at very different periods in life, backpacked solo in South America, visited 5-star European hotels, stayed with locals in exotic destinations, traveled to multiple foreign countries for work and leisure, lived a year as an ex-pat in Poland, and worked for a thoughtful travel company for over a decade. I’ve traveled a lot.
These have been enriching experiences, but also have helped me recognize the value of non-traveling, which is a lifestyle I’ve now come to embrace. I do still travel a tiny bit, mostly to visit loved ones, but my default mode is to not travel.
During my time traveling, immersed in the dynamics of travel and its impacts on local communities, I became convinced we need to reframe how we think about travel on the individual level, and (while harder) on the societal level as well. I’m starting to see burgeoning conversation about this, but these ideas are in their infancy, especially in the US (Europe is further along). People who otherwise are conscientious consumers often think nothing of jetting off on faraway adventures every chance they get, to the praise and envy of peers.
The core problem, as I see it, is this: