Okay, I have done a lot of jumping around and exploring different issues and topics relating to digital culture. After talking with Dr. Burton, I think I have finally found something that I am really excited about. Traveling has always been a passion of mine. I am currently working on the staff of Stowaway, BYU’s travel magazine. I have personally traveled a lot and feel like I have a pretty good sense of how to plan trips and how to make the most out of a travel experience. Traveling has been completely overhauled by digital culture. For my second post this week, I would like to relate elements of travel mediated by digital culture to elements of travel in Moby Dick. These are just some cursory thoughts that I need to start circulating, so I’m hoping that they fit within the scope of the second assignment.
Changing Motivations for Travel
The development of digital culture has opened a wide range of motivations for travel. Both traveling for business and traveling for pleasure have expanded in terms of options and opportunities, and we see a lot more overlap. Your motivation for travel can be anything from going on a company retreat in order to network with other professionals in your field, to going on a cruise because your favorite chef is doing a show, to going to a beautiful place because you know it will create the best picture.
Traveling has always been a way to restore the mind and body. Ishmael uses the ocean as a way to rejuvenate himself. He says, “Yes, as everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded forever” (2). He also says that he goes to be a sailor when he begins to “to grow hazy about the eyes, and begins[s] to be over conscious of [his] lungs” (3). Traveling to a new place puts our own lives into perspective. As we observe another culture, set of beliefs, and place, our knowledge grows. Depending on the experience, our tolerances or prejudices grow with the knowledge we gain. However, Ishmael notes that he does not go as a passenger, but as a sailor. Passengers must have the luxury and money to travel. Ishmael says that passengers also “get seasick--grow quarrelsome--don’t sleep of nights--do not enjoy themselves much, as a general thing” (3). Isn’t that interesting? Those who go for luxury end up complaining and having a worse time. In part, this could be because of the unfamiliarity of the ship and the conditions. Ishmael seems like he has been on a few ships in his life, so he knows what to expect. I wonder though if it is in part due to the fact that when traveling for luxury, travelers spend so much time romanticizing the vacation and trying to make it perfect, so when it doesn’t go as planned, it adds stress. Going for business means that you are being paid for your time. Whether or not this makes it more meaningful to you is subjective, but Ishmael here is showing that he wants to have some sort of employment to accompany his travels. He does not want to be a captain or a commodore, either. He wants to be a simple sailor, something that he is obviously familiar with doing. The only problem is that his voyage with Captain Ahab turns out to be a sailing trip unlike any that he has ever experienced.
Planning a Trip: The Search for the Perfect Accommodations
Planning a trip, whether for business or pleasure, is a process that involves reading many reviews from other travelers and consumers. No one wants to stay in a hotel that a reviewer on Trip Advisor says has bedbugs, terrible service, and weird smells. We have apps and websites that help us narrow down the search for the perfect place to stay, the perfect restaurant to eat at, etc. We are mainly looking at quality and price, and we demand comparison in order to find the right one. There are also certain amenities that travelers look for when searching for accommodations, depending on the nature of the visit. Do they have a pool? Do they have room service? A bar? A spa? Free parking? Sometimes, not having one of these benefits will disqualify a certain place. We find these accommodations by scouring the internet and by reaching out to our social networks for advice and recommendations.
Moby Dick is centered around Captain Ahab’s search for the white whale. He knows exactly what he wants, and no amount of other kinds of whales will substitute for Moby Dick. He employs others on his quest as he scours the waters for his enemy. He also reaches out to network consisting of other sailors as he passes them on the water. Each time he encounters a ship he asks, “Hast thou seen the white whale?” The elements of searching, while enhanced and quickened by digital culture, are much the same today as in the times of Moby Dick.
The Way We Experience People as We Travel
Digital culture is changing the way we interact in all areas, and traveling is one of them. Gone are the days when your only option for accommodations was a hotel. Sometimes people want the comfort of a home to stay in, partially for the experience and partially for the people that you can meet. Airbnb is an app that gives travelers the option to find a flight and a bed-and-breakfast to stay in. It connects people who are renting out their space and people who are looking for a local place to stay. People can rate their experiences, which often leads to travelers wanting to go somewhere they never would have thought of before because of the interpersonal element available. Still, even though you can read reviews, you never know who you are going to encounter. Traveling this way allows you to connect with people you never would have otherwise. In Moby Dick, Ishmael encounters Queequeg at the Spouter Inn. At first, it is clear that Ishmael is a little uneasy about sharing a bed with the “head-peddling harpooner.” But later, they become “bosom friends” and stay close throughout the novel.
I am still in the process of developing this idea of digital culture-influenced travel, so any feedback is welcome. What are some other motivations for travel that you can think of? What experiences have you had with any of the apps or digital travel services mentioned? Have you ever recommended locations, sights, places to stay, etc. to a friend? Have you ever sought out advice? How did the social aspect of planning a vacation influence your trip?
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