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6 Mar 2022
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Well I'm going to be honest. I'm on holiday. No hippy stuff about expanding my mind and doing it for the good of humanity. No missionary work, the locals can work stuff out for themselves and its rude to assume we know better . I buy from whoever seems likely to do a good job. Sometimes that's the local char stand bloke, sometimes it's McDonald's because they are less likely to give me food poisoning (and employ locals anyway).
Andy
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6 Mar 2022
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Ethical tourism
Haha, fair enough. I am not opposed to a good holiday either.
But if you are someone who is concerned about poverty and global inequality, and you are also into adventure travel, at some point those two interests (for want of a better word) are going to bump into each other.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie
No missionary work, the locals can work stuff out for themselves and its rude to assume we know better .
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Complete aside, but that brought back memories of meeting some ageing American missionaries in a bush hotel in Zambia. It was breakfast time and the chap (at the breakfast table next to me) was moaning about some minor inattention in the service he expected to receive. I gently pointed out that it was highly likely that none the people serving him had ever stayed in a hotel like this, so probably didn’t intuitively get the first world service expectations he had from 5* America. It appeared a completely new revelation to him. It didn’t bode well for the cultural sensitivity of the rest of his mission (whatever that was)!
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6 Mar 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Temporaryescapee
Complete aside, but that brought back memories of meeting some ageing American missionaries in a bush hotel in Zambia. It was breakfast time and the chap (at the breakfast table next to me) was moaning about some minor inattention in the service he expected to receive. I gently pointed out that it was highly likely that none the people serving him had ever stayed in a hotel like this, so probably didn’t intuitively get the first world service expectations he had from 5* America. It appeared a completely new revelation to him. It didn’t bode well for the cultural sensitivity of the rest of his mission (whatever that was)!
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Years back I met an American peace corps volunteer drinking his troubles away in a restaurant in Senegal. He was on a break from working in a remote village in Mali, trying to introduce sustainable 'agriculture' (planting new trees to replace cut down ones etc). He'd been there six months and managed nothing. All he got was blank stares and 'Allah will provide". Different cultures indeed.
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6 Mar 2022
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I'm not going on a holiday. This is my retirement and I have no intension of returning. That changes things.
Here's a point for you to consider. Even if I take no action, just thinking about Ethical Actions, including tourism or travel, takes the mind to different places. Suddenly, it's not just about you. Its not just ME going somewhere - but about how I interact - with intension - to the people and situations I experience. I'm pre-loading my mind to consider why? What am I doing? How am I going to affect people around me?
Most of you may not think this way, and that's fine. But I do. For me, the motorcycle, the scenery, food, everything is secondary to the people I'll meet - and the purpose I give to going.
So its not just about can I help. But should I? When? How? Why?
We are the privileged. The fortunate. It is incumbent upon us to think deeper than our own desires, and to give back.
So I seek some new directions. Maybe a really cool door opens that turns part of a a ride into a real adventure that's not just good for me, but others.
Last edited by krtw; 6 Mar 2022 at 19:06.
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6 Mar 2022
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Interesting question. Difficult question.
In conflict, building bridges is important, but so is picking a side. It is important with first hand cultural and informational exchanges, and to support the oppressed -but doing so can be difficult without it directly or indirectly benefiting those which one wants to take a stance against.
It may be impossible to visit or reside in a country without oppressors benefitting. One can however make the better choices whenever possible, and boicot oppressors and their henchmen whenever possible. One can stay away from being a patron of big business (national or international in the country).
But, how would you visit south-africa during the apartheid boicots and international sanctions without the oppressing side having a greater benefit of your wallet than the oppressed?
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6 Mar 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by krtw
Got a problem with that?
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Pretty sure no one has a problem with that krtw - its a pretty diverse and accepting bunch around here and I didn’t read any criticism of your question in people’s responses.
But i also appreciated threewheelbonnie’s response too. It is true that sometimes it is just about the travel.
Sounds like you’ve got a interesting journey ahead. What’s the itinerary?
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6 Mar 2022
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Quote:
But i also appreciated threewheelbonnie’s response too. It is true that sometimes it is just about the travel.
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Of course I agree too. As stated clearly, this is only MY belief and approach. I will say - at this point I have no answers...Lots will be a jam. On the spot. Some planned. And lots of - this is not the the time or place to do anything, so just ride. All the above.
Canada - there's 2 places in Newfoundland I have not been. So generally - There first, then the Labrador Hiway, cross the country and north to TukTuktoyaktuk - Alaska, then straight south to Central America - few months there, and into South America for two to three years. Fly bike across the South Africa - and from there play it by ear depending on conditions....That's generally the plan, but subject to change.
I'd like to spend a year in Europe - but conditions may decide otherwise. Its a strange world emerging from the pandemic...Flexibility the key to everything me thinks.
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6 Mar 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by krtw
Most of you may not think this way, and that's fine. But I do.
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Actually, I think you may have misjudged your audience. I’d submit that MOST of us think that way, although we may arrive at conclusions and courses of action different from yours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by krtw
We are the privileged. The fortunate. It is incumbent upon us to think deeper than our own desires, and to give back.
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No argument from me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by krtw
Got a problem with that?
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I’m not clear whether you intend this to sound belligerent, but that’s the way it sounds to my ear. If your goal is to engage in dialogue with others on this site, you might consider adopting a different tone. That’s not intended as an attack—more a suggestion attached to a bit of feedback which may or may not interest you.
There are people here who’ve dedicated small and large parts of their lives to thinking about and acting upon their desire to give and share. I’m interested in your perspectives, and I’m interested in hearing more—from you and others.
Hope that’s helpful.
Mark
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6 Mar 2022
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I edited my post and apologize, cause it did sound belligerent, but not intended.
Sorry.
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9 Mar 2022
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?What's our ethical responsibility? Our first responsability is to earn the respect of our hosts.
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6 Mar 2022
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There are few places in this world I would not go. I do try to be mindful of with whom I do business with (directly or indirectly) - in terms of who is to benefit on who's expense - as I do when I am at home. Often I am not making the best, the most altrustic or the most genuine choices - but I make an effort to do so.
Personally I can't condone anyone to go to any country, nor to not make their life about saving everyone who needs saving. One can be selfish some times and still be a genuine empathetic and generous person.
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
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