Comments on: Why Do We Crave Escape From The Modern World? http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:14:28 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Why Travel is So Addictive | Fresh New Life http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-80839 Why Travel is So Addictive | Fresh New Life Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:26:04 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-80839 [...] Why Do We Crave Escape from the Modern World? [...] [...] Why Do We Crave Escape from the Modern World? [...]

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]]> By: April http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-72426 April Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:17:23 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-72426 I have been recommending a book called "My Stroke of Insight - a Brain Scientist's Personal Journey" by Jill Bolte Taylor and also a TEDTalk Dr. Taylor gave on the TED dot com site. And you don't have to take my word for it - Dr. Taylor was named Time Magazine 100 Most Influential People, the New York Times wrote about her and her book is a NYTimes Bestseller), and Oprah did not 4 interviews with her. I have been recommending a book called “My Stroke of Insight – a Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey” by Jill Bolte Taylor and also a TEDTalk Dr. Taylor gave on the TED dot com site. And you don’t have to take my word for it – Dr. Taylor was named Time Magazine 100 Most Influential People, the New York Times wrote about her and her book is a NYTimes Bestseller), and Oprah did not 4 interviews with her.

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]]> By: Links for Super-Charged Living - June 14, 2008 | My Super-Charged Life http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-71950 Links for Super-Charged Living - June 14, 2008 | My Super-Charged Life Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:51:21 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-71950 [...] Adventurous    Why Do We Crave Escape From The Modern World? [...] [...] Adventurous    Why Do We Crave Escape From The Modern World? [...]

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]]> By: VickiElizabeth http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-71749 VickiElizabeth Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:18:56 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-71749 I´m not sure that it´s the "Modern World" which we are seeking to escape from. As Kirsty points out, she has an Internet-related job which allows her to work from anywhere - this is a possibility which has only existed very recently, although admittedly still only for a lucky few. Rather than restrict us, modern life instead waves all these new opportunities in front of out noses. One hundred years ago, the average working class had no idea that the Himalayas existed, and therefore had no desire to visit them. Fifty years ago, the average worker knew they were there, but would never have even to be able to consider the possibility of crossing continents to reach them. And now all of a sudden, we know that with a bit of effort saving money, we can be there within a year. The fact that "desktop computers will flash up holiday snaps or screen savers with places to daydream about", as you say, fuels this desperation, this hideous temptation, and I think it´s this carrot being endlessly waved in front of our noses that makes our day jobs intolerable, rather than the job itself. There are some truly draining jobs out there, I know, but it´s the modern world that has given us the ability to escape them. Hurray! I´m not sure that it´s the “Modern World” which we are seeking to escape from. As Kirsty points out, she has an Internet-related job which allows her to work from anywhere – this is a possibility which has only existed very recently, although admittedly still only for a lucky few.

Rather than restrict us, modern life instead waves all these new opportunities in front of out noses. One hundred years ago, the average working class had no idea that the Himalayas existed, and therefore had no desire to visit them. Fifty years ago, the average worker knew they were there, but would never have even to be able to consider the possibility of crossing continents to reach them. And now all of a sudden, we know that with a bit of effort saving money, we can be there within a year.

The fact that “desktop computers will flash up holiday snaps or screen savers with places to daydream about”, as you say, fuels this desperation, this hideous temptation, and I think it´s this carrot being endlessly waved in front of our noses that makes our day jobs intolerable, rather than the job itself. There are some truly draining jobs out there, I know, but it´s the modern world that has given us the ability to escape them. Hurray!

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]]> By: Daniel Harbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-71728 Daniel Harbecke Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:04:42 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-71728 I'm not sure if it's necessarily the "modern" life people are trying to escape from, but rather the "unobserved" life. I love getting out into new territories and broadening my horizon, but I also love the work I'm doing, and a home I can come back to. When I came back to the country after 4 years abroad in some pretty exotic places (to me, anyway; the natives would consider it just another day), I was bored and restless. I had a crummy data entry job in a cubicle farm with little variety. But as time went on I began to appreciate it precisely for being so mundane - it gave me time to get my home life in order, a reliable schedule and a steady means of both income and familiarity with a culture I wasn't completely familiar with ("What the heck is 'bling?'"). I spent a year there getting my head straight before moving on to something better. The work/life distinction needn't be so stark. It's always life, and if you enjoy what you do, it's never work. I think having the bravery to follow your passions is the craving you refer to, and if that need isn't met, it'll drum its fingers in your head until you pay attention. The "desire to be somewhere physically beautiful" can be directed into making where you are physically beautiful - though if not that, at least a place where you can express yourself. And you said it best with "If you don’t like the view, go look at something else." Short and sweet. Thank you, Stephen! Good luck to you in your travels! I’m not sure if it’s necessarily the “modern” life people are trying to escape from, but rather the “unobserved” life. I love getting out into new territories and broadening my horizon, but I also love the work I’m doing, and a home I can come back to.

When I came back to the country after 4 years abroad in some pretty exotic places (to me, anyway; the natives would consider it just another day), I was bored and restless. I had a crummy data entry job in a cubicle farm with little variety. But as time went on I began to appreciate it precisely for being so mundane – it gave me time to get my home life in order, a reliable schedule and a steady means of both income and familiarity with a culture I wasn’t completely familiar with (”What the heck is ‘bling?’”). I spent a year there getting my head straight before moving on to something better.

The work/life distinction needn’t be so stark. It’s always life, and if you enjoy what you do, it’s never work. I think having the bravery to follow your passions is the craving you refer to, and if that need isn’t met, it’ll drum its fingers in your head until you pay attention.

The “desire to be somewhere physically beautiful” can be directed into making where you are physically beautiful – though if not that, at least a place where you can express yourself. And you said it best with “If you don’t like the view, go look at something else.” Short and sweet. Thank you, Stephen! Good luck to you in your travels!

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]]> By: Kirsty http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-71714 Kirsty Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:46:30 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-71714 Normally I do as little work as possible and scrape by. At the moment I seem to be in a very uncharacteristic workaholic mode. Fortunately, I love what I do and being successful at it allows me to travel and work from anywhere. I packed in my 9-5 job last November and have been travelling on income I get from various websites and it's pretty sweet. Being able to find a way to earn on the road has always been a dream of mine and now that I'm doing it, I'm actually surprised at how much work I actually enjoy putting in! But having that choice is something that, for me, is priceless. Normally I do as little work as possible and scrape by. At the moment I seem to be in a very uncharacteristic workaholic mode. Fortunately, I love what I do and being successful at it allows me to travel and work from anywhere. I packed in my 9-5 job last November and have been travelling on income I get from various websites and it’s pretty sweet. Being able to find a way to earn on the road has always been a dream of mine and now that I’m doing it, I’m actually surprised at how much work I actually enjoy putting in! But having that choice is something that, for me, is priceless.

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]]> By: Adam MacKenzie http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/06/10/why-do-we-crave-escape-from-the-modern-world/comment-page-1/#comment-71669 Adam MacKenzie Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:42:15 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/?p=587#comment-71669 Haha, you said it man, I'm getting ready in may 2009. I'm going across the world! Don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I will. Haha, you said it man, I’m getting ready in may 2009. I’m going across the world! Don’t know how I’m gonna do it, but I will.

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