The case against travel

ABC 170: On what we gain when we're forced to think for ourselves

I won’t bury the lede: I disagree with the premise of this week’s article.

Philosopher Agnes Callard makes the case that travel “turns us into the worst version of ourselves while convincing us that we’re at our best.” Woof—a spicy provocation, and borderline offensive for someone like me who considers “traveler” a core personality trait.

And yet, the piece is worth your time if for no other reason than that it’ll make you think.

So often we spend our days scrolling through the internet, half-numb to everything we consume. The beauty of a well-constructed argument like this is that even if you disagree, it forces you to engage.

Here’s the piece: The case against travel

Book updates:

• I passed 10,000 book sales, a significant milestone given 90% of traditionally published books sell less than 10,000 copies in the first year 😊.

• I opened up registration for the next cohort of my course, Designing Your Next Career Step.

• The course is for anyone who knows they’re ready for a career change but isn’t exactly sure what that change looks like. ABC readers get 15% off for the month of July with the code ABC.

Warmly,
Simo

P.S. I’m a sucker for a good ballad and two and half minutes of Moses Sumney’s sultry voice always seems to hit the spot. The full songs of the week playlist is here.