Don’t Mistake Privilege for Virtue

Don't mistake privilege for virtue, having resources for being superior. The phenomenon is more noticeable now that social media exists, but for many years I've read and heard things like, "People just stay in their own bubble. They don't travel anywhere and expand their horizons. They're not willing to go into unfamiliar places and experience the world and its diversity."

When I hear/read things like that, my first thought is usually, "Shut up. Check your privilege, please."

I do agree that being able to travel helps us to learn; we get to meet new people, experience new cultures, have learning experiences that change our minds about how we see ourselves and others. Yet, when travel itself is stated as some kind of virtue, some kind of moral high ground, I think that actually does more harm than good.

Essentially, when people talk about how they have traveled frequently and label others not traveling as "unwilling to learn", "refusing to expand beyond a small area", "refusing to embrace and dwell within other cultures", what they are actually saying is, "We, the ones who have the financial resources, days off work, sufficient mental/physical health, connections, etc., we are better than and more virtuous than those who do not." Travel is a privilege. Yes, it is a learning experience. It is not a moral virtue in any way whatsoever.

I'm going to the US in a little over a week. After dealing with a mental health crisis that I think we are partly still recovering from, we had to plan and save for months to be able to afford this trip. It's been over 2 years since I've seen my family. I would love to be able to travel to other places, but the reality is that our families are priority, and all travel savings we can set aside have to go towards trips to the US. We don't have the privilege of taking vacations other places. It's always this both...and, you know, I realize my hardships in not being able to see my family more often, and I also realize the privilege I have, the fact that I even used the words "savings". I realize that it is a privilege to be able to even have any money to set aside. I don't take that for granted.