Wanderlust And Conforming To Social Media

In my final year of studying, we were provided with a brief to create an extended essay (dissertation) linked to our practise. I instantly knew I had to write it on the relationship social media has with humans in creating conformity - so I wanted to share my thoughts.

In today’s digital age, wanderlust is no longer just a venture of exploration into the world - it is a visually driven pursuit shaped by the likes of social media. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have transformed travel into a quite literal curated performance, where the value of a destination in measured in how photogenic and viral it appears online. As a result, the place is less about experiencing and mor about recreation.

This is portrayed in locations such as Paris (Eiffel tower and the Louvre), Greece (blue domes) and Coliseums. In which visitors will form long queues not for entry but merely just to re-perform an image they have already seen. These visitors will use the same poses, same locations and same filters that have already been recognised. This experience then shows individuals conforming to visual trends in order to also be recognised.

What is even crazier is that this has been ongoing since the 17th Century - The Grand Tour. In which wealthy Europeans travelled across the continent to visit culturally approved places and documenting their visit via sketches and paintings. Exactly like today just more modernised!

Writing about this for my dissertation had so many learning points this blog could go on forever! But why I am really mentioning it as someone who is travelling a lot and taking many photos whilst doing so, enjoy the moments! Don’t wait in the queues! Create new trends and recognise the smaller unknown places.

The end question here is, are we truly seeing the world or simply recreating it for others to see?