In this historic period social medias have increasingly impacted our daily life, changing not only our self-perception but also our social behavior. This shift in our attitude concerned also our conception of traveling because nowadays it seems more relevant taking photos of ourselves in front of a popular place or monument than enjoying the moment without the intermediation of a screen. I strongly believe that this change has a negative impact both conceptually and practically.
The major cause behind the preference of people of taking photos of themselves rather than looking at the place visited is the advent of technology, in particular the enormous impact of social medias in our lives. By creating a virtual world where the appearance count more than the reality, the social medias such as Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok change our scale of priorities. If before internet the most important thing during a visit of a famous place was giving attention of details of a statue or looking at a particular trait of a monument, now, instead, it is showing to other people what we are doing.
For this reason, it is a negative tendency which could lead people to stress unless their intent of obtaining attention and admiration by followers is not gained. Consequently, people, especially the younger ones, can feel a state of anxiety and loneliness not only if they not obtain a large amount of likes but also if they compare their posts to others’ profiles. For instance, a person who can’t manage this kind of exciting life traveling everywhere could be frustrated and feels depressed.
In conclusion, the advent of social medias changes our approach to diverse life situations, in particular when we are traveling and visiting other places. These shift of people’s mindset could lead individuals to several mental issues and conduct them to a state of stress, by comparing themselves to others’ life.