Sunday, May 27, 2012

The consumerist experience of tourism

As I've been enjoying the delights and sights of New York and other spots, I've been pondering what I think about the consumerist nature of such an experience. While I'm in it, I've been aiming to experience it and enjoy it for all it's worth- the amazing beauty of Niagara Falls, the breath-taking views from the Empire State Building, the creativity expressed by the likes of
Monet. They are all great things. But it feels highly consumerist - in essence and form. I've wrestled with what I think about this reaction because I think some of it is highly personal that gets put onto these thoughts around consumerism. But I do think some of my thoughts are genuinely about the consumerist nature of tourism and feeling very questionable about it. So much of it crosses against so many of the choices about how I want to live and this experience is reinforcing those decisions and causing me to further question the huge number of ways that I buy into consumerism in my everyday lifestyle. I feel some considerable lifestyle choices coming up ...

No real answers just living into my experience and aiming to process it as I live today.

One thing I'm surer of than ever - I want to live in such a way as I'm able to be truly present in each moment and savor the experience or person that I am present with. For me, that means choices to slow down.

As a book I have at home says -
When I loved myself enough I learnt to slow down- way down.
That's my experience too and it's good to be reminded of that by a few weeks that is different to that.

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