The world is more diverse than electronic media would lead us to believe
“The accepted snobbery is that the world was great until we all started going to have a look at it as traveler, tourists and refugees. Travel writing is also part of the illusion of global familiarity, the constant stream of images from over there that flood through the media combined with air travel, telephones, faxes, the Web and globalization, all giving us the impression that the world has shrunk to a homogenous place, not so much a village as a sprawling suburb. But the more I travel, the less it seems familiar. I’m constantly wrong footed and astonished by how spectacularly different and diverse out there really is. Electric familiarity has givens us the illusion of understanding. You think you know us, we think we’ve got your number.”
–A.A. Gill, AA Gill is Away (2003)
May 24th, 2010 at 10:14 am
The world is more diverse than electronic media would lead us to believe and this is how people get themselves into trouble. They don’t understand a part of the world because they haven’t totally immersed themselves in it. Seeing pictures and videos gives you a tiny glimpse into a country and it’s people. Living with them and speaking with them is another story, one that most people are probably not ready for. Experience is a great teacher. Unfortunately, most travelers don’t even know the history of the countries they visit which is a pity.