Exploring the World Anew: A Journey Through Travel Trends

The inaugural entry I made on More To That was titled Travel Is No Solution for the Mind. I dedicated over 100 hours crafting it, stemming from my contemplation of my encounters abroad. I particularly reflected on my feelings during my 6-month stay in Asia, and the fluctuations of emotions that accompanied my time there.

Upon hitting publish, I remember believing it was a strong article, and perhaps a few hundred individuals would engage with it. Lacking an audience at the time, even that appeared ambitious.

However, what transpired was far beyond anything I could have imagined.

More than 1 million individuals have read that article, and I believe it’s still one of the most acclaimed narratives ever published on Medium. Approximately once a year, it goes viral again when someone shares it on social media, which consistently sparks various reactions from people who either support it or disagree with it.

It’s crucial to acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of my creations do not attain this level of fame. Yet, when they do, I gain fascinating insights into what aspects of the piece resonated with readers, and what concerns they had. Those who appreciated the piece connected with the central premise that travel would not alleviate any internal dissatisfaction they felt in their lives. They understood that while traveling could offer a temporary escape through novelty, as soon as that novelty faded, all their previous turmoil would inevitably resurface.

Conversely, those who disliked the article perceived my perspective on travel as dismissive. The common sentiment was that I overlooked the essence of why people travel in the first place. They argued that people don’t embark on journeys to evade their issues but rather to gain a new perspective on the world around them. They asserted that purchasing a plane ticket to a distant place grants you the freedom to let curiosity steer your path in ways that just sitting in an office every day cannot.

These points are valid. Indeed, I concur with a majority of them. Yet, truth resides in complexity, and one must delve into these complexities to fully comprehend what I was conveying.

Let’s begin by addressing the notion that individuals do not travel to escape their problems. This statement holds some truth, but only to an extent. Upon reflection, there are essentially three primary motives for traveling (excluding work-related reasons):

(1) You wish to visit loved ones in different countries,

(2) You have an interest in cultures and environments distinct from your own,

(3) You seek new experiences to disrupt the routine of everyday life.

The first reason is less about cultural immersion and more about cherishing moments with family and friends. Of course, during your time together, you might explore unfamiliar customs and traditions, but the primary goal is to maximize the time spent with those you care about.

For instance, whenever I travel to Korea to see my parents, I don’t devote much time to sightseeing or exploring various eateries. I enjoy most meals at home with my family, as they are the main reason for my visit. The charm of cultural immersion is substantially less significant than the valuable time I share with them.

The second reason is the one that critics of my article will highlight most prominently. Many detractors often mention that I overlooked travel’s capacity to provide new perspectives on the world. They argue that if we didn’t venture beyond our borders, we would remain ignorant of the diversity present outside our insular patriotic viewpoints. After all, a person who has never left their country is likely to claim that their nation is the finest in the world.

Here’s the truth: I wholeheartedly endorse Reason #2. Traveling represents one of the most profound expressions of curiosity in our species and has resulted in a degree of flourishing that would be unreachable if we all stayed within our confines. If you want to immerse yourself in a foreign culture to become more aware of your own blind spots, by all means, pursue it. If you wish to experience the discomfort that accompanies broadening your mind, then book that flight and remain open to the myriad surprises it may present.

However, a caveat must be noted: Be truthful with yourself about this being your motivation for traveling. Expanding your worldview is not intended to be an entirely pleasant, comfortable undertaking. In fact, I’d argue that your level of comfort is inversely related to how much your mind is being expanded.

This is why taking a week-long cruise around the coast of a popular tourist destination does not constitute curiosity-driven travel. The objective of a cruise is to ensure you remain as comfortable as possible while providing small doses of novelty to create the illusion that you are “traveling.” Your exposure to any new cultures is confined within a carefully constructed bubble of familiarity designed to protect you from discomfort.

When you truly immerse yourself in a foreign culture, it should involve a certain level of apprehension. Genuine immersion occurs when you become aware of the fragility of your accustomed norms. And it is only through your dedication to breaking these norms that travel can truly serve as a means to broaden your intellectual horizons.

When travel is utilized as a means to alleviate the monotony of daily life, don’t be surprised if that same sense of monotony follows you to the new destination you are exploring. A curious mindset doesn’t ignite simply because your environment has changed. Rather, it is something to cultivate within your current circumstances – in your everyday life – whether you are at work in a cubicle or enjoying the thousandth meal in your apartment. Instead of seeking to escape this reality, leverage that urge to flee as a wake-up call to examine your life as it stands today. Nothing is as uneventful as you perceive; all it takes is a closer look.

Travel is no solution for the mind becausethere is no remedy for it from the outset. There exists no outside means that will deliver you to enduring happiness. What genuinely fosters contentment is internal: appreciation for what’s before you, receptiveness to all the narratives surrounding you, and steadfast curiosity regarding the individuals you encounter daily.

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For additional narratives and reflections of this kind:

Travel Is No Remedy for the Mind

The Absurdity of Life’s Meaning

How to Cultivate Gratitude for Your Existence with One Simple Reset