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The Travels of BBQboy and Spanky

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“Not everyone can travel”. About Privilege and Virtue Signalling

Source: Nomadic Matt’s IG page

 

Really? Not everyone can travel?

Here is something else people should know: the sky is blue. Ok maybe not all the time. It’s not blue when there’s clouds in the sky. It’s not blue at night because it’s dark. And I guess it’s not blue during sunrise and sunsets. But baring clouds, darkness, sunrise and sunsets, the sky is blue.

Of course travel is a privilege. Saying that is even more black and white than saying that the sky is blue. It’s as obvious as saying “you should brush your teeth”.

I shouldn’t have to cite the reasons why travel is a privilege but since it appears to be the inspiration of deep thoughts and reflection, here goes: we’re privileged to come from a 1st world country where our passports give us free access to most of the rest of the world, we’re privileged to have been raised in a 1st world country where education and good work opportunities exist. On a more personal level, I’m privileged to have my health and I’m privileged that family members also have their health (knock on wood). Some people could travel but are in a situation where they have to have to care for sick or dying family members. I’m also privileged to have parents who travelled and I’m privileged that as a child I got to travel all over Africa, Europe and the Americas.

I’ve been incredibly privileged.

 


 

 

Many of us are privileged in different ways. But does that mean shouting from the rooftops about our privilege? Are we supposed to feel self-hate because we’ve been privileged in X-Y-Z way?  Or is acknowledging your privilege and, in an underhanded way, making it all about yourself? (“Yes, I worked hard, I slaved away for years in front of my computer to make my dream come true. But I understand the circumstances why you couldn’t. I feel for you”).

 

Which brings me back to Nomadic Matt’s Instagram post.

Matt is the guy who put travel blogging on the map. He was the first “travel blogger” (I didn’t know the term at the time) I spotted online. This was around 2008. He inspired me to start my own blog which I did in 2013.

I had to guffaw when reading this paragraph in the post. “In the “quit your job to travel the world” cheerleading that happens online (of which I am a part), we often forget that it’s not so easy for everyone to travel”.

Matt is very modest. Because he was actually the poster boy for the “quit your job to travel the world” movement. He was all about leaving your cubicle and travelling the world on the cheap. Along the way he inspired many people, including young people who quit their jobs thinking they’d make money travelling by travel blogging, free-lance writing and/or teaching English overseas. I remember one young couple who admitted to staying in a small, tin-roofed cabin in Thailand. But that was until they would hit it big (sic) as travel bloggers. Until then, they bought Matt’s books on how to become successful travel bloggers and went to some of his drinking get-togethers around Europe, no doubt hoping some of his magic rubbed off on them…

Matt sold the dream and I always said it was both misleading and irresponsible.

 


 

 

Matt has obviously thought long and hard sitting on that bench in Prague (no blue skies on this day). The verdict is in: Not everyone can travel.

Thanks Matt for stating the profoundly obvious. The question for me is: why did it have to be said? It reminds me of that other blogger who talked about saving the environment by buying carbon credits to offset the flights she was taking. She urged other travellers to do the same. Of course, everyone who commented on her blog said what a great idea that was and that they themselves would buy carbon credits. Sure they would. It became one giant circle jerk about living and travelling consciously while saving the planet.

It’s called virtue signalling.

Virtue signalling: the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or social conscience or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.

I personally think that Virtue signalling is low-hanging fruit: the easiest and most insincere way of getting love. 

And when I think of virtue signalling I’m always reminded of this video that basically sums it up succinctly:

 


 


 

 

Matt doesn’t need to lower himself to virtue signalling. He’s hugely popular without it. He’s turned his blog into multi-million dollar business. He’s successful. He’s always played it ‘real’ and been honest with his opinions, something I’ve always appreciated. And I might not have agreed with his “quit your job to travel the world” messaging of the past but in the end it’s for everyone to discern fact from bullshit. 

But let’s take a break from all the virtue signalling. It’s disingenuous, hypocritical, and comes off as insincere.

 

 

Related: Reasons why I don’t visit your blog

Related: Why I’ve had it with Instagrammers (and some travel bloggers)

 

 

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Hi! We are Frank & Lissette from Canada. We sold our home in 2014 and have been travelling the world ever since.

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