A week ago, my friend Isidro Murillo shared an article from The New Yorker magazine written by Agnes Callard, a philosopher and professor at the University of Chicago, titled The Case Against Travel. In the article, the author argues that "modern tourism has become a form of self-indulgence that turns us into the worst version of ourselves while convincing us that we are at our best." She adds that tourist travel can be harmful to people's mental and emotional health as it can be exhausting and stressful.
I have a position totally contrary to what was exposed by the author, although I recognize that some of the theses presented made sense to me. Anyway, after reading the article, I remain faithful to my primary conviction: traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences in life and one of the best ways to spend money.
Just as cinema is basically entertainment beyond the fact that, as art, it educates or has a cultural background; I think that traveling, in the plan of the tourist is essentially fun. Attributing transformative powers to it and thinking that we have changed because of the trip, I think it is a bit illusory, unless we go to Kathmandu for spiritual retreats with Tibetan Buddhist monks.
Without departing from the fact that a trip can be a way of enriching and educating oneself, traveling is pleasure par excellence. I have given trips as gifts and have also received them as gifts. By giving them away, you offer a wonderful experience that leaves an imprint on your memory. And finally, that's what it's all about: accumulating beautiful and memorable memories throughout life.
I am not looking for my trips to be magical journeys or to confer transformative power on them. However, just as when you read a book you don't go back to being the same person, after a trip you don't go back to being the same person either. When traveling, I basically look to have a good time, eat well and see interesting places. Shouldn't Mrs. Callard do the same?
