Tourism in the 21st century stands at a crossroads between two modes of existence. On one side lies the Erlebnisraum, or “experience space,” which has become the dominant paradigm of travel. In this mode, the traveler seeks immediate thrills, picturesque vistas, and consumable moments – often amplified by social media and digital platforms into a frenzy of must-see attractions. On the other side lies the neglected Bedeutungsraum, or “semantic space,” grounded in shared narratives, cultural memory, and humanistic values that give travel its deeper meaning. The provocative question “Travelling Ourselves to Death?” speaks to the peril of a tourism industry and culture fixated on experiences devoid of context or reflection. If travel is pursued as an end in itself – an addictive chase for ever more exotic or Instagram-worthy experiences – it risks becoming a hollow and unsustainable cycle. We may, in effect, be traveling ourselves to death : eroding the very cultures and environments we se...
Thomas Steiner's coffee-break posts about A.I.