There is a very weird contradiction between neoliberal individualism and the sort of monocultural drive of capitalism to make the experience a commodity.
I think overall a strong sense of self is important to ensure your vacation doesn’t become a labor. That being said, I spent the weekend offline with a bunch of my commie friends in Central NY and felt more relaxed than my weeks spent on the beaches of the Mediterranean.
You have touched on several of my interests, and what immediately came to mind was our tour guide in San Sebastian: ‘They want Disneyland.’ Living in London for over a decade, I have borne witness to the (already underway) shift in the European tourism industry.
Miles Orvel has an older piece (Understanding Disneyland) that might interest you. He argues that the theme park (and similarly shopping malls) satisfied the need "for order, for mastery, for safety, and for adventure". These spaces are 'virtuous' representations of our society. There is no chaos, but also no political reality - this is the danger in the privatisation of public space.
Take Pharrell using Paris as his own little seaside amusement park for Louis Vuitton. Turning public space (and water) into a private spectacle, while burying his head in the sand to the climate emergency.
Thanks so much for reading! It’s adventure without the risk, which I wonder if that’s truly adventure at all. With the changing economics, people are much more sensitive to risk, we have a smaller tolerance. I’m going to read the Disneyland piece, thanks so much!
I’ll say, I have a very loungey vacation mindset — I plan my vacation around doing very little! But even as I try to humblebrag about my “not like other girls” tourist traits, the anxieties you mentioned do creep in. I look at the friends I’ve brought along on our only vacation we’ll get this year and worry “was this a good use of their limited PTO? should I have planned more?”. And I hate having a bad meal on vacation for the same reason. You’ve per usual taken these amorphous anxieties and added clarity, it is an optimization mentality! Gotta work on that
I find chilling and ‘doing nothing’ on vacation is so hard. It’s such a scam that we think we have to be productive on vacation, and I’m envious of those who can just lay out on beach chair. Even at the beach in Mallorca this past trip, I was able to relax but still brought many books to read to somehow “feel productive.” I’m doomed, I fear.
And that makes sense to me, as a writer the distance between "work" and "life" is nonexistent so on vacation this muddle remains. Luckily as a strict 9-to-5er my brain does not have that problem! This is why I think creativity is in some ways a beautiful curse, there is no worse boss than creativity. It grips you and will not release you until it is satisfied. It obeys no schedule or hours. Is it bad I'm so grateful you've been cursed?
Another incredible read. You are a star, and I am just happy to read each and every work you create. I particularly loved this: "We bump into acquaintances at random at coffee shops and beaches over a hundred kilometres from our homes and pretend it’s a coincidence because assuming the alternative, that we are all governed by the same hand, would be a truth too devastating." Deep, yet dark, but true.
im going to be annoying and say “journaling and note taking” stray thoughts! anything to get it on the page and out of my brain 🧠 😅 appreciate the kind words, katie!
I read a series called best American travel writing - I’ll try to find it but there was a great article about the difference between “travel” and “vacation” - and how vacation is on the rise but travel is declining. The authors point was that to travel you have to bend yourself to the place and be uncomfortable, it might not be to the most perfect beautiful “vacation” spot but you will leave understanding the world better
There is a very weird contradiction between neoliberal individualism and the sort of monocultural drive of capitalism to make the experience a commodity.
I think overall a strong sense of self is important to ensure your vacation doesn’t become a labor. That being said, I spent the weekend offline with a bunch of my commie friends in Central NY and felt more relaxed than my weeks spent on the beaches of the Mediterranean.
You have touched on several of my interests, and what immediately came to mind was our tour guide in San Sebastian: ‘They want Disneyland.’ Living in London for over a decade, I have borne witness to the (already underway) shift in the European tourism industry.
Miles Orvel has an older piece (Understanding Disneyland) that might interest you. He argues that the theme park (and similarly shopping malls) satisfied the need "for order, for mastery, for safety, and for adventure". These spaces are 'virtuous' representations of our society. There is no chaos, but also no political reality - this is the danger in the privatisation of public space.
Take Pharrell using Paris as his own little seaside amusement park for Louis Vuitton. Turning public space (and water) into a private spectacle, while burying his head in the sand to the climate emergency.
Thanks so much for reading! It’s adventure without the risk, which I wonder if that’s truly adventure at all. With the changing economics, people are much more sensitive to risk, we have a smaller tolerance. I’m going to read the Disneyland piece, thanks so much!
The words that wrap around me. So good
Thank youuuu 🫶🏿🫶🏿🫶🏿
I’ll say, I have a very loungey vacation mindset — I plan my vacation around doing very little! But even as I try to humblebrag about my “not like other girls” tourist traits, the anxieties you mentioned do creep in. I look at the friends I’ve brought along on our only vacation we’ll get this year and worry “was this a good use of their limited PTO? should I have planned more?”. And I hate having a bad meal on vacation for the same reason. You’ve per usual taken these amorphous anxieties and added clarity, it is an optimization mentality! Gotta work on that
I find chilling and ‘doing nothing’ on vacation is so hard. It’s such a scam that we think we have to be productive on vacation, and I’m envious of those who can just lay out on beach chair. Even at the beach in Mallorca this past trip, I was able to relax but still brought many books to read to somehow “feel productive.” I’m doomed, I fear.
And that makes sense to me, as a writer the distance between "work" and "life" is nonexistent so on vacation this muddle remains. Luckily as a strict 9-to-5er my brain does not have that problem! This is why I think creativity is in some ways a beautiful curse, there is no worse boss than creativity. It grips you and will not release you until it is satisfied. It obeys no schedule or hours. Is it bad I'm so grateful you've been cursed?
“There’s no worse boss than creativity” you genius, you!!!
Another incredible read. You are a star, and I am just happy to read each and every work you create. I particularly loved this: "We bump into acquaintances at random at coffee shops and beaches over a hundred kilometres from our homes and pretend it’s a coincidence because assuming the alternative, that we are all governed by the same hand, would be a truth too devastating." Deep, yet dark, but true.
Thank you Marco for being such a close reader and for all the kind words 🙏🏿 I think the sentence you highlighted is my favourite in the essay, too.
Fantastic
Thank you, Delanie :)
how do you write so well and incorporate so much media and have a nuanced, layered pov
im going to be annoying and say “journaling and note taking” stray thoughts! anything to get it on the page and out of my brain 🧠 😅 appreciate the kind words, katie!
Amazing essay.
thank you for reading :)
I read a series called best American travel writing - I’ll try to find it but there was a great article about the difference between “travel” and “vacation” - and how vacation is on the rise but travel is declining. The authors point was that to travel you have to bend yourself to the place and be uncomfortable, it might not be to the most perfect beautiful “vacation” spot but you will leave understanding the world better
Great article beautiful pics too mate😉😈
Keep writing! 🤜🏾🤛🏻🤟🏻🤟🏾