
THE WORLD IS A STAGE
HOME ALONE OR ALTOGETHER ELSEWHERE
MARY SMITH
January 8, 2025
Given the cold temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year, many of us feel the urge to escape, even temporarily, to warmer climates. Here, we explore two contrasting approaches to life: staying rooted in one place versus moving between multiple destinations.
Staying rooted in one place and flitting between multiple destinations reflect two vastly different approaches to life. The relentless pursuit of adventure, discovery, and adrenaline-fueled escapades has become synonymous with modern living, fueled by the accessibility and affordability brought on by budget airlines, Expedia, Airbnb, Vrbo, and their ilk. These platforms have democratized travel, making it almost as easy as ordering takeout. Yet some of history’s greatest thinkers unearthed intellectual riches without ever leaving their hometowns. This essay juxtaposes today’s overtourism with the stationary lives of two influential philosophers, Immanuel Kant and Socrates, and contemplates how the values they embodied might offer a counterbalance to our restless world.
Kant, who never even once strayed from his native Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia), is a testament to the power of rootedness. Despite—or perhaps because of?—his voluntary geographical confinement, Kant’s intellectual endeavors were anything but narrow. His strict routine and deep connection to Königsberg did not hinder his explorations of universal themes, from human understanding to moral principles. His magnum opus, Critique of Pure Reason (1781), which revolutionized philosophy, was the product of intense introspection and systematic thought. For Kant, familiar surroundings provided a stable foundation, proving that removing the distraction of constant movement can spark profound and flourishing personal and intellectual growth.

Similarly, Socrates, the iconic philosopher, spent his entire life in Athens, and felt so deeply embedded in the city that he chose death over exile. Socrates’s dialectical questioning—the so-called Socratic method—took place in his city’s public spaces, where he engaged his fellow citizens in discussions about virtue, justice, ethics, and the essence of life. His rootedness reflected his belief that philosophy is not merely an abstract pursuit but a practical engagement with the life of one’s community. As with Kant, he exemplifies how deep, sustained engagement with one’s surroundings can lead to an intellectually and morally enriched life.

In stark contrast, today’s world is defined by an unprecedented ease of travel. Budget airlines have turned once-distant lands into mere weekend getaways, while platforms like those mentioned above have cracked residential neighborhoods wide open to massive influxes of tourists. Overtourism in popular destinations burdens local infrastructure and communities. Cities like Venice, Barcelona, Nice, and Amsterdam are growing desperate over skyrocketing property prices and rental costs, and the resultant displacement of permanent residents. The environmental impact is also significant. Specific local ecosystems suffer under the footfalls of mass tourism, and air travel’s carbon emissions contribute massively to global climate change.
The culture of travel driven by social media validation exacerbates these issues. Social media, particularly Instagram, has transformed travel into a quest for the perfect photo, with the experience of the place itself secondary. This superficial approach leaves the traveler disconnected from the cultures and histories of the places they visit, reducing the experience to a mere accumulation of images.
Tourism and leisure travel as a possibility for the middle class began in the nineteenth century, as the Industrial Revolution brought people from farms and small towns to cities, and movement started to become normalized. A pivotal figure in this development was Thomas Cook, who founded his eponymous travel agency in England in 1841. Cook’s innovation was organizing affordable group tours, initially for temperance societies, but his operation soon expanded to include trips for any interested party to destinations across Europe and beyond. He had famous clients as well as ordinary ones, and also at least one famous fictional one: Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in Eighty Days (1872). Interestingly, nearly a century earlier, the eighteenth-century explorer Captain James Cook (a distant relative) had opened the world’s eyes to new lands, inspiring the kind of curiosity that Thomas Cook later capitalized on. By the late nineteenth century, Thomas Cook & Son was a major travel enterprise with agencies all over the world.

While Kant and Socrates demonstrated the potential value of staying put, it’s also important to recognize that travel, when done thoughtfully, can be enriching. It can broaden our understanding of the world, expose us to new cultures and ideas, and foster a sense of global connectedness. The key is to approach it sustainably and meaningfully, rather than out of superficial motivations and the pursuit of cheap amusement. One way to do this is by traveling less frequently but more deeply. Instead of frenetically ticking off multiple destinations, travelers might spend more extended periods in one place, deeply engaging with the local culture, history, and environment—a concept known these days as “slow travel.” This approach is more sustainable and allows for a more meaningful connection to the places visited. Another approach is to prioritize local travel. By exploring nearby places, travelers can reduce their environmental footprint while still enjoying the benefits of exploration. This approach also supports local economies and eases the pressure on popular tourist destinations.
The idea that exploration doesn’t necessarily require traipsing globally is supported by the lives of other great thinkers. Baruch Spinoza, for example, lived a life of quietude and dedication in Amsterdam and its surroundings, never straying far from his birthplace. His life is a testament to the power of solitude and introspection. Ludwig Wittgenstein, another philosopher, after years of restless travel, found solace in returning to Vienna and the house of his youth—familiar places where he could engage deeply with his thoughts. René Descartes penned his most influential works during periods of seclusion, proving that stepping back from the world is sometimes necessary to see it more clearly. And Søren Kierkegaard, who spent his entire life in Copenhagen, found the city’s rhythms deeply intertwined with his philosophical work, illustrating how a deep connection to one’s surroundings can fuel profound insights.
On the other end of the spectrum, we find someone like Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher, whose complex relationship with travel was deeply intertwined with his philosophical thought. He roamed across Europe, seeking locations that provided the solitude and natural beauty necessary for deep reflection and writing. For Nietzsche, travel was not about physical movement alone, but a way to escape societal constraints and immerse himself in environments that stimulated creativity. His favorite destinations, such as the Swiss Alps and the French Riviera, inspired some of his most important ideas, including the concept of the eternal return.

Might we imagine a world where travel ceases? It’s a notion that, while unlikely, raises fascinating questions about culture, economy, society, and individual well-being. While no single theory addresses this scenario, insights from sociology, economics, psychology, and environmental science offer glimpses into the potential implications. The absence of travel could lead to cultural stagnation, where societies become insular and thus less open to new ideas. One could easily imagine a retreat from global interconnectedness leading to a resurgence of nationalism, with terrible political implications. Yet reduced travel might also preserve cultural identities, protecting them from the homogenizing effects of globalization. In a world where travel is drastically curtailed, there could be a deeper focus on local engagement, encouraging people to explore their cultural roots and the unique aspects of their environments.
The cessation of travel would undoubtedly have a deleterious impact on the global economy, particularly in regions reliant on tourism. Yet it could also foster more localized economies, encouraging communities to become more self-sufficient and self-sustainable.
Environmentally, a halt in travel could lead to significant positive effects, such as reduced carbon emissions and the recovery of ecosystems, as we saw during the various lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the loss of tourism revenues could negatively impact conservation efforts as well. For instance, many national parks and wildlife reserves rely on the income generated from tourism to fund their conservation programs. Without this revenue, they would struggle to maintain necessary protections, leading to increased poaching and habitat degradation.
The potential rise of virtual travel, while offering some benefits, lacks the depth and authenticity of physical travel. Travel contributes to stress relief and personal growth, and one would be justifiably concerned about the psychological effects of its absence.
Philosopher Edward Glissant’s theory of the “archipelago” offers a nuanced lens through which to explore all these implications. Glissant, a Martinican poet and philosopher, invoked the archipelago as a metaphor for understanding cultural diversity, relationships, and identity in a globalized world. His theory suggests that even without physical travel, connections between different “islands” of culture could persist through digital dialogue
and exchange. Archipelagic thinking emphasizes relationality—how cultures influence and interact with each other, even from a distance. In a world without travel, the sustainable, relational ethos of Glissant’s archipelago could still foster a global culture that values depth over breadth and quality over quantity in our connections with others.

Lucy Lippard’s book The Lure of the Local: Senses of Place in a Multicentered Society (1997) delves into the complex relationships people have with multiple locations and identities in an interconnected world. She argues that as individuals move between different places—through travel, forced or voluntary migration, or virtual connections—they develop multifaceted identities shaped by these diverse experiences. This “multicentered” existence creates a tension between the allure of new environments and the deep-seated need for a stable sense of place and belonging. Dorothy’s journey in The Wizard of Oz represents the exploration of these multiple centers. Despite the wonders of Oz, Dorothy’s longing to return home reflects Lippard’s idea that, no matter how widely we roam, there remains an intrinsic human need for a grounding sense of place, hence the iconic line “There’s no place like home.” This duality underscores the importance of place in shaping identity and belonging, even in a world where people increasingly live “multicentered” lives.
Reflecting on the lives of Socrates and Kant reminds us that the pursuit of wisdom and intellectual growth does not necessarily require us to traverse the globe. These philosophers serve as powerful examples of how staying grounded in one place can foster personal development and community engagement. In an era where the allure of distant adventures often overshadows the richness of our immediate surroundings, Socrates and Kant offer a timeless lesson: that true enlightenment and fulfillment can be found not in the number of places we visit, but in the depth of our engagement with the world, wherever we are. Their legacies challenge us to reconsider the value of geographic stillness and the profound insights that can emerge from cultivating deep connections to place.
Mary Smith is a renowned travel writer based in Wichita, Kansas, who has written more than a dozen best-selling guides to destinations she has never visited. Her book “The Art of Traveling without Moving” became an instant classic among couch voyagers. She once spent two weeks immersed in the culture of Paris by watching French cooking shows and ordering croissants from her local bakery.
Cover image: Peter Fischli and David Weiss, Untitled (Airport Zürich, 2000), 2007. Lithograph, 130 x 252 cm
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