From digital nomadism to domestic hygge: Rethinking our travel obsession

Our civilization now appears compelled to travel, driven by an insatiable need to showcase our experiences on social media and engage in an unspoken competition of who visited the most exotic locales or flew in the most luxurious class.

- SUPREET GILL

As the holiday season fades and the euphoria of Christmas and New Year's celebrations ebbs, we find ourselves on the threshold of a fresh year, often promising new beginnings. Returning to our routines, many of us eagerly exchange tales of our recent travels. Some still bask in the afterglow of European adventures, visits to relatives in England, or sun-kissed memories of watching cricket matches in Australia. Yet, this collective wanderlust prompts a pertinent question: When did travel become not just desirable, but seemingly obligatory? Consider the case of Sarah, a young professional who spent three months planning an Instagram-worthy trip to Bali, only to find herself constantly checking work emails and feeling anxious about the projects she left behind. Or Mark, who embarked on a luxury cruise but spent most of his time comparing his experience to the carefully curated social media posts of friends on similar voyages.

Historically, traversing oceans was often viewed with trepidation, associated with ill omens and misfortune due to the perils of maritime voyages. Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in a peculiar paradox. Our civilization now appears compelled to travel, driven by an insatiable need to showcase our experiences on social media and engage in an unspoken competition of who visited the most exotic locales or flew in the most luxurious class. The phenomenon of "last-chance tourism" further illustrates our travel compulsion. Tourists flock to endangered destinations like the Great Barrier Reef or glaciers in Iceland, ironically contributing to the very environmental degradation they wish to witness before it's too late.