The commodification of journey | Herman’s weblog

22 Apr, 2026

I’ve seen that journey has turn out to be, of late, an act of amassing locations. I’ve actually heard folks referring to visiting a spot as doing that place, as in “Have you done Japan?”, assuming that one can do a whole nation, and as soon as that nation is executed it stays as such. As if a spot is a product to be consumed and checked off the listing. Why trouble returning to a spot when you’ve already executed it?

I obtained a present a few years in the past which, whereas being well-intentioned, typifies this concept: a scratch-off map of the world. Each time you go to a rustic, you’ll be able to scratch off the metallic coating and the nation is now executed, in response to the map. The work journey I took to São Paulo a decade in the past? Brazil: executed. Bus tour by way of Europe? Germany? Check. France? Check. Spain? You get the thought.

This sort of mentality is typified within the query I’ve heard requested many occasions: “How many countries have you been to?” This is commonly adopted by a debate on whether or not layovers depend in the direction of your tally when you do not depart the airport, as if stepping past the airport boundaries bestows doneness.

Like many issues, I blame social media. It’s modified journey from an exploration to social standing signalling. I began fascinated with this a number of years in the past whereas visiting some waterfalls in Indonesia. I like a very good frolic in a waterfall, however all of them have been simply strains of individuals ready to take their photograph below the falls, after which they’d higher get out of the best way for the subsequent photo-goers. No frolicking allowed! People have to do these waterfalls!

I spent this morning in a wonderful backyard exterior of Kyoto, which exemplifies the cultural beliefs of appreciating nature and meditating on the wonder that surrounds us. It was beautiful through the early morning, however then the remainder of the world confirmed up and all they needed to do was take pictures and transfer on to the subsequent spot to do. There was one second, in maybe one of the heart-wrenchingly lovely locations I’ve ever visited, the place I used to be surrounded by about 20 different folks, all of them both within the strategy of taking a photograph, or what they’d simply taken on their telephones. No one was wanting on the superb stuff they have been doing!

That is not to say taking pictures is unhealthy. They’re a good way to share an expertise with others and save a reminiscence of a time and place—however I feel the edge of what’s sufficient has been crossed within the age of Instagram the place photographs and video are socially worthwhile. Now lovely locations are commodified. And I do not know if we’ll ever return.

I recognize that many locations in Japan restrict pictures and movies, corresponding to on trains or in gyms, for the sake of not annoying these round you. Perhaps as soon as sun shades cameras take off and folks can file their total lives they’ll lastly expertise the place they’re, as a substitute of making an attempt to seize it completely for later.

All that being stated, I do not need to gate-keep. If that is the type of journey that makes folks completely satisfied, then they need to do it to their coronary heart’s content material. Similarly to how some folks accumulate Magic playing cards whereas by no means taking part in the sport, typically the enjoyable is within the assortment itself. But maybe search for out of your telephone every now and then. The world is prettier in full decision.