Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful • Hacker News Board

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#161

Post by notyourday » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 1:45 PM UTC

modernthumb wrote: post #39

squirrelicus wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flyover suburbanite here: I never understood travel culture, but I've seen it contribute to depression in my friends and neighbors because they somehow have been convinced that a meaningful life requires global travel, but find it difficult with mortgages and children. I view travel culture as very toxic as a result. "I just want to see the world" I hear, a yearning for an experience that, when pursued, might tempora…

I can see your point but as a passportless 21 year old I can't help but feel I'm missing out on something. I've never really experienced anything outside of the US. It's such an exciting prospect to visit somewhere exotic that looks nothing like the place I've always known, has completely different food, language, animals. Maybe the joy is temporary but it's still joy and I hope if I ever get the chance to travel it'…

You are missing it. Not because you are not travelling, but because you are 21 with no real responsibilities and you are not using that time frivolously.

Get a passport, save $5-10k and go slumming in Europe for 6 months. Backpack for clothes. Laptop. Camera. Condoms. If you decide you don't like it in three-four weeks, come back. Otherwise spend time there stretching your money as long as you can until your budget runs out.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#162

Post by larrywright » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 1:45 PM UTC

I just returned from a trip to Washington D.C. I’m an amateur photographer[1] - I don’t get paid for my photos, I do it for fun. One thing I noticed in D.C. when visiting monuments and places like the Library of Congress (which is a stunning building inside), was the sheer number of people standing around taking selfies in these places. In confined spaces (Library of Congress) it was difficult to take pictures because there were so many people taking selfies. And not just a single one - it’s almost always a series of them in various poses and facial expressions. It was quite annoying.

I tried to temper my annoyance by reminding myself that they have just as much right to be there as I do - these are public places after all. What stood out though is the behavior described in this article, which is the complete focus on themselves and no awareness or concern for the location or the people around them who might also want to take a picture - or even just enjoy the place they’re visiting. I didn’t see anything like the destruction and theft described in this article, but that’s likely just because of the nature of the places I visited (lots of armed guards).

I worry that we’re allowing (and reinforcing) some horrible behaviors, and wonder what kind of people they will grow up to be. Narcissism is a harsh label, but I don’t have a better one.

[1] http://larrywright.me/photo/

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#163

Post by driverdan » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 1:47 PM UTC

pembrook wrote: post #55

jwmoz wrote: post #42

Sums up everything I detest about photography and mainly typical instagrammers. You have the same problem where I am in Bali - idiot instagrammers using the farmers rice fields for their selfies, whilst the farmers are breaking their backs. I wonder how they'd feel if tables were turned - farmers all photographing young people on their laptops in cafes etc.

On a recent trip to some more remote areas of Southeast Asia, I had this exact experience. Since westerners were a rare sight in many of the villages I visited, my friends and I found ourselves constantly being photographed, with the local teens and even older adults alike all posing in selfies with us in the background. I’d say we were photographed roughly 20-30 times per day, for the the month we were there. I’m no…

> I see every person on this thread thinks they aren’t part of the problem.

It depends on what problem you're referring to. People going onto private property and damaging locations are a special kind of asshole. They're not regular tourists.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#164

Post by wellactually » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 1:52 PM UTC

One trick I learned a while ago is that stepping back as far as possible and taking pictures of people taking pictures is far more interesting than yet another picture of the same thing.

There are only so many interesting photos of the Mona Lisa. But there are an infinite number of interesting photos of people maniacally taking photos of the Mona Lisa. If you're lucky, you might snap a pic of an instagrammer falling off a cliff, or getting hit by a truck.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#165

Post by astura » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 1:52 PM UTC

speedplane wrote: post #59

aikinai wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very very few people “viscerally see how people live and value things differently” when they travel. And they can’t without an order of magnitude more time and money to spend on that travel. Actually living in a different place will certainly do that, but “travel” almost never will.

> Very very few people “viscerally see how people live and value things differently” when they travel. ... Actually living in a different place will certainly do that, but “travel” almost never will. Take one extreme case: a typical college grad doing a euro-trip to 10 countries in 14 days. They will certainly not be able to experience those cultures deeply, but compare that person to someone who never went to Europe…

Taking a two week vacation to Europe can be enjoyable, but it is certainly not going to make you a better person.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#166

Post by aphextim » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 2:01 PM UTC

speedplane wrote: post #59

aikinai wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very very few people “viscerally see how people live and value things differently” when they travel. And they can’t without an order of magnitude more time and money to spend on that travel. Actually living in a different place will certainly do that, but “travel” almost never will.

> Very very few people “viscerally see how people live and value things differently” when they travel. ... Actually living in a different place will certainly do that, but “travel” almost never will. Take one extreme case: a typical college grad doing a euro-trip to 10 countries in 14 days. They will certainly not be able to experience those cultures deeply, but compare that person to someone who never went to Europe…

I had a good experience right after college. Went to Germany for 21 days. Stayed with an exchange student I had become friends with senior year in high school and we kept in contact.

She had my girlfriend and I stay at her home in a little town Nagold. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagold

We stayed with their family for a week, experiencing the smaller town life, hiking in the black forest and going to the market for fresh bread every morning.

We then rented a vehicle and traveled around the Autobahn visiting many major cities and either staying at a hostel ($20 a night per person plus an amazing breakfast included!), or with a mutual friend of her's whom she had met in college.

There are only a few Universities in Germany so she knew someone is almost all the major cities we stayed at and it was nice to converse with them in their home, trade stories and experience the night life as a local would.

We did go to a few tourist areas which were neat to experience, however most of the fun did come from 'off the beaten path' where you got to interact with locals and see more of the slower, simple life.

One thing that I found astonishing is the amount you can converse/communicate with someone even if you don't speak their language. Granted most people in Germany can understand English well, but with the few broken phrases I learned before going I was able to do quite well when our translator (my friend from high school) would not be with us sometimes.

I much would rather do this, go to one specific country rather than go to 14 countries in 10 days.

Haven't traveled since as work/school/family is now my priority but doing at least one travel to get out of your comfort zone is a good experience I think everyone should get to experience once (if they want to).

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#167

Post by saiya-jin » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 2:10 PM UTC

aikinai wrote: post #50

speedplane wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I never understood travel culture, but I've seen it contribute to depression in my friends and neighbors because they somehow have been convinced that a meaningful life requires global travel ... I view travel culture as very toxic Sure, traveling just to achieve certain bragging rights is superficial and silly, but that doesn't mean travel itself isn't valuable. Similarly, reading books just to say you've read the…

Very very few people “viscerally see how people live and value things differently” when they travel. And they can’t without an order of magnitude more time and money to spend on that travel. Actually living in a different place will certainly do that, but “travel” almost never will.

Nice echo chamber developing here. I couldn't care less about how and why other people travel, but for myself, it has shapen my personality (for the better) more than any other experience or activity in my life (and there are quite some, like weight lifting and climbing). It made me a better person on many levels. Is this selfish pursuit? Obviously, what in life isn't?

But there are many forms of travel. For me, it is and forever will be only backpacking-ish style. Done for example 6 months in India in very remote places. When you come back from such a visit, you are not really the same person inside that left. Or at least I can't imagine not being changed by all the positive and also negative things experienced. 1 week feels like 3 there, 1 month more like 5 years, and after 3 the idea of my life back was just a distant memory of a dream I once had. You can't tell properly others about those 1000s of small and big adventures, they wouldn't understand most of the appeal. Only those with similar experiences would. Photos or videos, even done with full frame equipment, tell only small part of the story.

And these instagrammers/'influencers' (that's a too pretty name for what it usually is, if they travel around like that they are rather 'influenced') ? Well they are for people with sheepish mentality. I would have to have utterly bland life to be interested in some John Doe's life, where he made this or that selfie and consistently follow them. I guess I am too old and experienced for Instagram bandwagon. With all the travel photo I do, I would anyway end up as one of those 'influencers' (at least that's what people tell me when they see my photos and the amount I create)

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#168

Post by nkrisc » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 2:12 PM UTC

J-dawg wrote: post #119

word-reader wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not nearly enough has been written about "travel as status-seeking". It is for some a way to portray that you're not materialistic, but still dunk on all the poors and other outgroup members while blowing thousands of dollars on what is ultimately a luxury. The sub-category of "travel as wasteful mating signal & ritual" deserves another novel on top of this. It didn't help that for several years (though it has thankf…

Absolutely. It seems to have become popular to value "experiences over things" as if that's somehow virtuous and makes you better than materialistic people who just want to accumulate stuff. It's really just another branch of the same kind of materialism. The mating signal thing is crazy too. I recently dabbled in dating apps (hopefully, never again). It seems virtually every woman on there is obsessed with travel (h…

It boils down to accumulating "experiences" (or selfies) instead of things, but it's really the same. I mean, do you think these people are going to these places, taking only memories, and then cherishing the memories on their own? No, they flaunt it just as someone flaunts a supercar. It's intangible materialism, as silly as that sounds.

If you really want to experience something, don't take any pictures. Just be there. After a while you might not have vivid memories of everything you saw, but you'll still be able to recall the feeling of being there. Talk to other people about it face to face, describe what you felt and what it was like to be there.

I have no photos of a trip my family took to some lake house in Indiana when it was young. I couldn't tell you what the place looked like, but I can still feel the calm and relaxation of being there decades later.

I have no photos of a waterfall I visited with my wife in Grand Teton National Park, but I can still feel the cool air and the mist in the air. Couldn't tell you what it looked like, but I have what matters. And I didn't have to show it to anyone.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#169

Post by whack » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 2:21 PM UTC

> I’ve seen photographers edge further and further into the water – ruining the view for others, shouting at kayakers who “dare” to exercise their right to paddle around the lake while drifting into their shot

It's ironic that the author is defending the rights of kayakers to do what they enjoy in the lake, while simultaneously berating photographers and "instagrammers" for "ruining the view for others" with their mere presence.

The article does raise many good points. Fences, property-rights, and rules should be respected. But much of the article comes across as paternalistic virtue signaling. Anyone's choice of hobbies or livelihood can be psychoanalyzed as being selfish or narcissistic or parasitic. The author loves to shame instagrammers for being driven by "likes" and "attention", and I'm sure someone else out there would love to shame the author for profiting off of nature instead of toiling as an unknown environmental activist. Unless you're a psychologist or mental health professional, perhaps we should all just let others enjoy life in any way they want, without feeling the need to judge and condescend to them.

Re: Photographers, Instagrammers: Stop Being So Selfish and Disrespectful

#170

Post by astura » Fri, Jul 26, 2019, 2:22 PM UTC

bump64 wrote: post #95

My personal favorite is this instagram profile making fun of influencers taking photos and videos in the famous Rue Crémieux street in Paris. https://www.instagram.com/clubcremieux/

Do these people not realize that they are at someone's house, not a god damn movie set??? How could one be so obnoxious?