Travelers’ scorn for other travelers is an old, class-rooted tradition
“Some travelers have always needed to set themselves apart from others — from tourists. And almost as soon as the word tourist appeared at the start of the nineteenth century, it began to carry derogatory overtones, but the democratization of travel has charged the word with greater irritation and scorn. As more and more tourists from different social backgrounds crowd into the same cafés and hotels, tensions mount. The stereotyping of others reflects this social diversity, as we have seen it may take different forms. The rising nineteenth-century bourgeoisie was anxious to distance itself from the common people and in some ways too from the old aristocracy. There were animosities between those with the cultural capital of education (from academia and the professions) and those with a lot more economic capital (from the world of commerce), as well as the petite bourgeoisie, whom everyone loved to ridicule. Many of these old tensions are still with us, albeit in new forms, represented in changing metaphors. They may take the form of a national stereotyping or generational conflicts, or be presented as opposing lifestyles, but the language of class is nearly always there, sometimes translated into, or combined with, ethnicity (the American view of Europeans as more class-ridden tells us more of an American tradition of translating class into other cultural categories than actual social differences).”
–Orvar Lofgren, On Holiday: A History of Vacationing
September 5th, 2011 at 4:30 am
Finally, a Scandinavian with common sense ! (I have been searching far and wide for these lately !). Too bad he is from Sweden, (since I am rooting for Norway at this time in my life !), but since it has been reported to me that fashion & cultural fads & ideas tend to travel from Sweden to Norway, with an approximate 5 year delay interval, I am hopeful I can start seeing some improvements in the Norwegian travel industry around me within my lifetime as well !
September 5th, 2011 at 8:11 am
I feel and see this same tension in myself. Glad someone more eloquent, like Ovrar, could spell it out. I think the reason I do this is because, deep down inside, I might be insecure with my own reasons for travel and project those onto others.
I am going to make more of an effort to accept my own reasons for travel. This will allow me to be more accepting of others, too.
I really enjoyed this little excerpt.
September 5th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Excellent quote. The us-them mentality manifests itself everywhere in human culture. Shoestring travellers often have the time and mindset to see through a lot of it, but can also fall into the “I’m a real traveler – they are not” perspective. I’ve held that attitude in the past as a younger man, but now I have learned to appreciate and admire anyone who will get off their couch and make the effort to see a new part of the world.
I’m also a motorcyclist and you see the exact same effect in the biker world. Often it is with adherents of a particular brand (in the USA its Harley Davidson) who see all other bikers as “posers”. In Canada we don’t experience that sort of two-wheeled elitism as acutely, but its still there to some degree.
As far as I’m concerned, anyone on two wheels is a brother or sister on the road – whether they are riding a Chinese moped or a $50,000 Harley. They experience the same rush, the same thrills, the same dangers and the same rewards … and I treat them all the same – with a great big wave as we fly past one another on a stretch of pavement.
September 10th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
wow, imho “food for thoughts & self-improvement” – thank you for this quote Rolf.
“Question everything.” Albert Einstein
cheers & greetz