The online digital attention economy is booming not because of compelling content but rather, so many people are lonely, sitting behind screens looking the wrong way to fill a void they feel while they keep on asking themselves, is this the way life should be?
I honestly feel sad how social media is eating from the interaction of real world. I feel like I always seek someone interesting. Problem is that not being the most talkative person, the culture that shifts our attention away from seeking real world interaction, is going to further decrease the chances of encountering something interesting. Though I noticed that when I traveled, I did not have this problem (even outside of SF3) – one of the things why it is so attractive to me.
I wonder if when you travel you are more open because there is less need to care about judgement as there is a lower chance of long-term "damage" from social relationships. I think a lot of people hold themselves back more with people they know. My ex bought some gorgeous clothes in Australia and wore them happily there and looked great; never wore them in Finland because "they were not what others wore here". Lame.
Certainly that's something that contributes. It's also that, like I've probably said, you get exposed to similar people (open to new experiences) when traveling which makes me feel like a fish in water - a fitting environment. It's like its own microcosm of a culture that I find myself enjoying.
Luckily an ex now, lol.
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