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Those “Curious” Choice Moments
We’ve all been there. You’re planning a vacation, and your family or group of friends splits in two: one side says, “Let’s not stray from the comfort of an all-inclusive hotel, let’s not take risks,” while the other insists, “Let’s stay in a hostel if we have to, or at least a modest guesthouse, but let’s discover that side street, that local flavor.”
So why is it that for some of us, “luxury” and “comfort” are essential, while for others, “experience” and “authenticity” come before everything else? Why is a vacation for some about resting, and for others, it’s a marathon of discovery?
As a banker, my life is built on planning. But as a traveler, I always have this urge inside me to discover the “new.” While experiencing this dilemma, a concept came up in my sociology classes—which I’m studying as my second university—that made me realize how many of the choices we think are “natural,” including our travel preferences, are actually social: Habitus.
Habitus as Our “Factory Setting”: What is This Concept?
Don’t panic, I’m not going to write an academic paper. In its simplest form, Habitus is a concept introduced by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu.
You can think of it as our “social factory settings.”
From the moment we are born, our family, our environment, the education we receive, and our profession (yes, including banking!) unconsciously load us with a set of habits, tendencies, and worldviews.
- What we find to be “quality.”
- What we see as “tacky” or “risky.”
- What we believe is “logical” to spend money on.
All of this forms our “HABITUS.” This isn’t a conscious choice; it’s more of a “feel for the game.” They are our preferences set on autopilot.
Habitus and the Suitcase: What Do Our Travel Preferences Actually Say About Us?
This is where it gets interesting. Everything from how we pack our suitcase to where we eat is related to these “factory settings.”
Example 1: Accommodation (Security vs. Experience)
- If your “habitus” is built on comfort, predictability, and security (perhaps you have a corporate job, like me), you don’t want “surprises” on vacation. A 5-star, well-known hotel chain or an all-inclusive resort is the “logical” choice for you. Risk is outside your comfort zone.
- If your “habitus” is built on “cultural capital” (meaning, experiences that can’t be bought with money), a luxury hotel might seem “boring” and “isolated” to you. You’d find an Airbnb where you can live like a local, or a hostel where you can meet people from all over the world, to be “authentic” and “valuable.” However, making this choice is very difficult, especially when you are married and have a 5-year-old child.
Example 2: Food & Drink (Familiar vs. Discovery)
- Think of someone who looks for a familiar fast-food chain when they go abroad. This doesn’t mean their taste in food is “bad.” Their habitus has simply coded “new” and “unknown” food as a risk. They choose the safe option (the familiar taste). This is why we see so many foreigners eating at an international hamburger restaurant in our own city and perhaps wonder, “This is available everywhere in the world, why are they eating here instead of exploring our traditional flavors?”
- On the other hand, there’s the “gourmet traveler” who consciously seeks out the most modest, most local shop, saying “the best food is on the street.” Their habitus, in contrast, rewards “discovery” and “authenticity.”
Example 3: Activity (Museum vs. Beach)
- Someone who says, “Who goes to a museum on vacation? We’ve worked all year!” has coded vacation as “physical renewal” (resting the body).
- Someone who says, “Lying on the beach is a waste of time, I can’t leave without seeing that artwork in the museum,” has coded vacation as “cultural renewal” (feeding the mind).
Neither is “wrong.” Their “factory settings” are just different.
Personal Reflection: Realizing Habitus and “Limitless”
Learning this concept came as a shock to me. I realized that:
- As a banker, my “habitus” pushes me to minimize risks, be plan-oriented, and seek comfort. (Even if I say the opposite among friends.)
- As a Visual Arts student (another second university) and photographer, my “habitus” forces me to seek aesthetics, different light, and “that” perfect shot.
- As a travel lover, these two habitus are in constant conflict.
So, Where Does My “Limitless” Project Fit In?
Recognizing our habitus is the first step to breaking free from it.
The main goal of my “Limitless” project is to challenge not only my physical and mental limits but also these social “factory settings” that have been imposed on me. If my “habitus” tells me, “Don’t go there, it’s risky,” or “That course is unnecessary, it’s a rip-off,” I stop and think: “Is this truly my decision, or is my habitus’s autopilot engaged?”
Now, on my travels, I consciously try to step outside my comfort zone. If the “banker” in me says, “Make a reservation, make it secure,” I try to give the “explorer” in me a voice and try the spontaneity of “Maybe we’ll just see when we get there.” But I must admit, with my 5-year-old son Arda, spontaneity isn’t easy, but I still try to do it within certain limits.
What’s Your “Travel Factory Setting”?
Knowing our habitus doesn’t mean one choice is “better” than another. A traveler who chooses a luxury hotel is not a “worse” traveler than one who chooses a hostel or guesthouse.
The goal is this: Awareness.
When you understand “why” you have these preferences, you gain the power to consciously change or stretch them.
As you plan your next trip, stop and think:
- What exactly is pulling you toward that hotel or restaurant?
- What do you label as “risky” or “boring”?
- What “factory setting” might be guiding your choices?
Share your experiences and thoughts about your own “travel habitus” in the comments section below. I look forward to reading them!
İşte çevirisi:
Sources:
Personal Experience and My University Course Notes
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