/lit/ - Literature

>>12358600
I have thought something similar, OP, in this form: is the concept of the "voyage" a lost ideal in this age of planes and global intermingling? Doubtless it would still be a formative experience to go to Italy and see the ruins, to see the paintings and such. And yet, it would not feel like going to another land, since the "journey" there would take place in less than a day. Certainly there is a sort of distance and reverence which is rashly trammeled over for the sake of tourists and trade. It is as though the world has grown too small--the sea is a harlot and the land an exhausted, worn out handmaiden. The pacing is all wrong, things move too fast. Too many institutions open their doors to vandalism and celebrity--think of Beyoncê with her gyrating crew of "black bodies" in the Louvre "making a statement" and so forth. People don't want to see, they want to stand in front of things and have their picture taken; the sincere, reverent gaze is a thing all too uncommon. The vulgar trample over everything and trivialize every moment that has the potential to elevate and inspire. The celebrities and pretentious preachers like to have their name in lights and their face on the cover of magazines for all to see, and then to be able to hide away in gated communities with ample privacy apart from the teeming mass. But can they humble themselves, stand aside and let the past speak for itself? No, it must be about them, about today. It is all wrong. The sage or the silent disciple who stands at the entrance, ready to beat away the the undeserving and irreverent with his staff, is missing and nowhere to be found. The world has become a interminable Bacchic orgy. One day the patriarchs will return and the unrighteous will tend to their bruises on street corners after they have been turned away.

I like Somerset Maugham.

For the sake of discussion I’d like to give names to distinguish certain aspects/modes of modern voluntary travel that might be hard to untangle when looking back at something like Goethe’s trip to Italy. People who want to just sit on a beach or go skiing, drink, forget work and maybe spend time with family; we’ll call that “vacationing.” Then there’s a certain type of midcult boomer imitating the sort of continental culture “Great Tour” Goethe was on; we’ll call that “touring.” Then there’s the Somerset Maugham ‘find yourself’ backpacker; that’s “traveling.” Ask people why they’re going on a trip and vacationers and tourers won’t have a hard time—one is admitted escapism and the other is for a sort of “education” and acquisition of cultural capital. Travelers will have a much harder time, especially these days, of explaining their reasons for going to, say, backpack around Europe. Meet interesting and new people? Experience ‘authentic’ and different cultures? Learn the history of the places you’re visiting? Challenge yourself and try new things? Learn a language? Run from something at home, you may or may not know you’re running from? In the following posts, I’d like to explore some of the nominal reasons given by ‘travelers’ (typically aged 18-35), what those reasons mean in a contemporary context, if the goals of such a trip are fulfillable any longer, and how these things have changed in the last twenty years (dramatically so in the last five.) I’d also like to discuss certain structural changes to the tourism market, its size, its impact, etc. and where I see it headed. I think the writer who’s done the best job at touching on some of this is Baudrillard, but it’s been awhile.

>>12358600
Where is this? Is it a white civilization or a white tourist spot?

>>12358974
Another distinction I’d like to make about ‘traveling’ is one related to how any given trip fits into the travelers life. Living in Wyoming is much different than having a second home in Jackson Hole. Perpetually traveling (with the funds to do it or not) is different than taking an affordable two week trip once a year is different than leaving your life behind with no real plans. And so on. Age, relationship status, family, education, money, etc., etc.: all these things give a different texture to traveling and may in unique instances give travel an individually-centered justification or reason. “I’m taking off to forget my father’s death” type thing. But for the vast majority of travelers, despite these distinctions’ enormous impact to the nature of their traveling, it rarely changes the reason people give when asked. Why that is I hope will be teased out as those “answers” are poked at.

>>12358996
The photo? Looks like thailand or maybe vietnam.

Who isn't going to experience any personal growth in two entire years of living? He has incorrectly associated the physical location of the bed he slept in during that time with these changes.

It's really about allowing yourself to take on a different mindset and lifestyle while you are 'away' from 'here'. If he had MOVED to Italy for two years, it would have become 'here', and he would have returned to his old ways, espresso and Roman architecture be damned. But since he told himself it was a 'trip', he thought and lived in a different manner.

>>12359144
>questioning Goethe
away with you, pseud

>>12358600
I think part of the difficulty is the internet. Like, without the internet going and seeing an old city like Rome or even a new city like New York would leave the traveler in awe at the wonders that mankind can construct. This applies to the awe of nature too. But with the internet you can see it all from home, and it's less impressive because it's not there in front of you. But then when you go see it, it is also less impressive because it is not your first impression of it. You knew what to expect. It makes one understand why Alexander supposedly cried after conquering India.

>>12359344
Have you seen Berger’s ways of seeing tv show?

>>12359360
Better than kenneth cuck desu

>>12358974
>>12359059
go on anon, im listening...

>>12358974
I somewhat agree with your premise but disagree with how you've limited each category to only specific sets of people. For example, I have no intention of backpacking around the world but my reasons for traveling are the same as you give for them.

>>12359114
it's thailand ive to the place in that picture

>>12358600
It may be my favorite book by him, and of course Auden did the English. Reise led me to Carlyle's long essay on Cagliostro (among other bits) fwiw. Good stuff.

>>12358600
>that image
First time I've felt the lack of a NPC in my reaction image folder.

>>12360588
Not that poster nor am i going to read all the novels in this thread, but it doesnt sound like he was saying those are hard and fast categories, just helpful orientations. What is your situation/reason for traveling

>>12362547
>What is your situation/reason for traveling
Basically what the other anon said for travelers plus going to see the major works of art and architecture of whatever place you're traveling to because why wouldn't you want to experience the greatest or most emblematic creations of the culture you're experiencing?

>>12362697
You would, why do you think im arguing with you?

>>12358600
>choose to explore somewhere you saw on a top ten list
>choose not to forget your favorite pair of sunglasses
>choose to book a design hotel that offers an oasis of calm
>choose to leave behind your copy of monocle magazine when you see that hudson news has michelle obama’s new book in stock
>choose to get settled in to your new hood
>choose an airbnb-curated market tour
>choose something PERFECT for your yoga studio
>choose to take respite in an art-district sanctuary
>choose to dine local with the help of eater.com
>choose somewhere to experience nightlife that boasts an excellent cocktail program
>choose to NEVER WANT TO LEAVE
>choose to inspire other global nomads and dispel stereotypes
>choose to caption your post with a pun
>choose to travel

People should just stay home.

Redpill me on Gurrtuh

>choose to explore somewhere you saw on a top ten list
>choose not to forget your favorite pair of sunglasses
>choose to book a design hotel that offers an oasis of calm
>choose to leave behind your copy of monocle magazine when you see that hudson news has michelle obama’s new book in stock
>choose to get settled in to your new hood
>choose an airbnb-curated market tour
>choose something PERFECT for your yoga studio
>choose to take respite in an art-district sanctuary
>choose to dine local with the help of eater.com
>choose somewhere to experience nightlife that boasts an excellent cocktail program
>choose to NEVER WANT TO LEAVE
>choose to inspire other global nomads and dispel stereotypes
>choose to caption your post with a pun
>choose to travel

People would do better to just stay home.

>>12363034
Kek. /trv/ on suicide watch.

>>12363034

>>12358600
The closest thing to the /lit/ travel you’re looking for is the missions undertaken by those young Latter-day Saints that go door to door.
>t. former missionary for the Latter-day Saints who went door to door and whatnot and had an extremely /lit/erary experience

>>12363170
should have a 3rd panel with "girls in 2018+" with just an ass next to the object

>>12363034
how did people manage to even ruin literally going from one place to another? this has truly been a magnificent decade

>>12363034
>choose to sync your npr podcasts

>>12363034
>>12363260
Is this isnt the same anon, you two should meet—love the misdirected anger

>>12363331
whatever happened to london frog? oxford anons too. too much turnover for those to be same poster

>>12359144
Makes no sense.

Taking photos is bad
planned travel is bad

>>12363538
>t. im taking up photography as a hobby

>>12363034
Whats wrong with monocle magazine anon?

>>12358600
wtf is globohomo

>>12363260
Taking this screencap is probably the only service I have ever done this board but what a service it was

>>12363808
Global homogenized culture. If you google it youll see people saying its an alt right term, but the concept is at home with leftist world bank protesters too—just a way of describing certain specific effects that free markets have on people

>>12363881
Thanks. I thought it was a gay thing and didn't quite get how it fit the context

>>12363989
Yeah someone needs to come up with another word for the concept that doesnt have the connotations globohomo has

>>12359144
>t. Never left his hometown

>>12363357
Was also wondering about London Frog.

>>12358600
Yes, just don't go to major cities.
>It is not down in any map; true places never are.

>>12363881
Kek I thought it had a connontation with neoliberals with the gay pride shit or whatever

Use travel as a means not an end. Don't travel to 'travel', it's not the activity. Have a goal or project you want to accomplish and use travel to extend it. I just came back from a few months in Italy researching medieval architecture and urban development to use in my future project. I've done all the readings I possibly can, and exhausted the resources on the internet to the point where google earth wasn't cutting it anymore and I needed to actually be there to figure things out. Because I was there for a reason beyond existing in the place, it was much easier to meet like minded locals.
If you're going to travel just to travel at least be decently knowledgeable of the place before you go. Never understood the point of visiting a place with the intention of getting the 'full experience' and possessing zero context on your surroundings

>>12364779
Yeah, make up some objective and then you wont realize how pointless it all was until later!

>>12364864
>make up
Like literally every single thing in your life that isn't eating, shitting, and fucking
>pointless
It's just as pointless as not doing anything that isn't pointless. I swear this board has been infected with 14 year olds (smartbois) recently. God is dead right? It's all so meaningless? it'll get better anon

>>12364924
Keep the cope coming bud. Sure your ‘project’ is super fulfilling

>>12364950
>cope
>basic bitch cynicism
The laziest rhetoric of the 4channel bottom feeders. Finish reading the stranger and get back to me when your balls drop

I hitchhiked and couch surfed through the northern half of Japan, and that felt similar. What you're looking for seems less like travel to me than adventure, and all you have to do to get that is to spurn the easy way to do anything.

>>12365057
>no no im not being defensive at all
>youre young!
>m-my project!
Pathetic.

>>12365088
>pathetic
Pathetic

>>12365123
Is anyone else seeing this? Are you coming unhinged before our eyes?

>>12365191
>he's replying to my shitposts!!!!
A psychological breakthrough

>>12358600
the only acceptable form of travel is pilgrimage

>>12365283
All forms of travel are a kind of pilgrimage, IMO.

>>12365283
Have you seen the people who do the via francigena?

>>12358600
>Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the greatest writers of all time

>>12365505
It is a widely accepted opinion

>>12365505
???

>>12358600
There's plenty of places to voyage that are off the beaten path. I lived in Swaziland for a summer (their winter). Slept in a hammock in a wildlife preserve for three months. Woke up frequently to hippos grunting in the river 15 feet away from me at 3 am. Hiked around had some close encounters with troops of baboons. Got into rock throwing fights with vervet monkeys. Released and transported a 14 ft rock python. Had some close encounters with elephants that were several magnitudes larger than the tiny beat up truck I was driving. Had a passive aggressive fight with poachers using game cameras to track their movements, and in turn they would sabotage my research sites. Got drunk with park rangers around a giant bonfire and had the best BBQ of my life. Had a couple of close run ins with cobras, boomslangs, and mambas. Traveled solo to the coasts of Mozambique and swam in the Indian Ocean. I honestly really miss it over there.

>>12358842
Gud post

>>12366800
Sounds awesome.

>>12363220
I wish their was a way to make clear that the "Female" and the "object" have become interpolated.

>>12367111
make the ass the whole image and just put the "obj" on the left cheek and "ect" on the right

i would do this but I only have gimp and I also have no skill

>>12367111
kek

>>12358600
I'm young and I've traveled the world. It's really not that great. Your disposition will influence how life goes on the road for good or bad. Of course the conditions between then and now have changed dramatically. If you wish another hemisphere is only a few thousand dollars away. I just want a purpose in life and a pretty wife while I make art.

>>12365479
Slaaaayyyy, Eat, Bray, Love!

>>12368166
Where did you travel to?

>>12363034
Funny

>>12363034
Not everyone ist the same regardless of what you generalising faggots always say. Your negative confirmation bias is still confirmation bias and even if someone does something different you will think "Really, they're the same." While you sit in your room and hate yourself. I am not different but at least I don't try and excuse my own boring life by ridiculing the ones that others lead.
These shallow bitches aren't worse than any of you.

Humanity ruins the uniqueness of just about everything to the point there is no wonder left.

>>12369353
>These shallow bitches aren't worse than any of you
They kinda are

>>12369353
>read a generalization
>think the person doesnt know its just a generalization
>???

I just call these girls Big Macs after the burger since they look really nice on advertisement but once you actually get your hands on one they are really bad for your health and just look unappealing.

>>12369412
I dont know they look pretty hot

>>12369412
Bad for your health?

>>12366800
Africa would be a truly magical place to visit, without the natives.