Cited: 1) De Botton, Alain. The Art of Travel. New York: Vintage Books, 2002. Print…
Explaining what it means to have a traveling mindset de Botton expresses, “What, then, is a travelling mindset? Receptivity might be said to be its chief characteristic. … We risk getting run over because we are intrigued by the roof of a government building or the inscription on a wall. We are alive to the layers of history beneath the present and take notes and photographs” (62). People with a traveling mind need receptivity meaning that in order to enjoy what is around them people have to be open to new experiences and information. Beside receptivity people also have to take the risk of breaking the routine and take notice of how things came to be what they are on the present. Stopping to check the small details sometimes represent a risk but often it pays out by teaching important details like what it says on a wall or the design of a governmental building. Scientists can benefit from the same qualities than a person with a traveling mindset because they need to go beyond the obvious. An example of how science require taking risk and absorbing the information is when Slater…
Human minds dictate the appreciation that people have of things around them and the value that those things have. The author Alain de Botton in his essay "On Habit,” states how after returning to London from his vacations in Barbados and seeing how different it was from the place he has to live in, he thought that London was a horrible place and that there was nothing good or beautiful about the place he lives in. However, after analyzing Xavier Maistre's concept of room traveling and how with the right mindset even his own bedroom could offer a great adventure without the need of actually traveling and spending money, de Botton starts a journey of changing his own way of seeing things. Humans usually think that their surrounding are bad and…
Dreams or fantasies are windows to new and exciting worlds. The usage of the imagination can make reality or the world a more pleasing place to live in. However when dreams are interpreted as goals, it can make our view of the world very narrow and limited. The narrative, “The World and Other Place” by Jeannette Winterson involves a story of a pilot who let his fantasies guide him towards reaching his goal. His imagination caused a positive impact in his life which was achieving his dream. He attained his dreams because of his goal driven mindset, in which the focus is set on one goal. “On Habit” by Alain de Botton is about the author’s views on the travelling and habituated mindset. He notices that his life has become dull and limited because of the habituated or goal driven mindset he was in. This mindset consists of not exploring our surroundings making the world seem monotonous. De Botton argues that the goal driven mindset is not beneficial because it limits how people perceive the world which ultimately caused him to only notice his goal or destination. Instead he believes that the travelling mindset, which is a state of mind in which people approach things differently and have an open mind is beneficial. It is beneficial to De Botton because it gives people the chance to live life in a more vivid and exciting way, instead of repetitive and dull. Using the imagination is similar to the travelling mindset. However it can limit people’s reality or blind his or her vision when people let their fantasies become a grid of interest. However dreams or fantasies make our reality boundless when people use imagination to make it more interesting.…
Traveling is a rite of passage for some younger people. Many consider these times rewarding to the psyche of a young adult, as experiences in other lands broaden their senses. College students embark on sabbaticals to spend time in the real world. Others temporarily replant themselves, to experience other places, cultures, and languages, and in doing so to find out more about themselves. And there are that select few who use relocation as a form of escape from their tumultuous lives, because as they say, “the grass is always greener…” Some never return home. Whatever your reason for these journeys, it should be understood that going outside one’s comfort zone can test your mettle, and good judgement and wit are crucial in surviving in a foreign land, where language, culture, and even racism are an issue. A few wrong steps and you may find yourself a few shingles short of a roof over your head. It is that last category of drifters who define “Geese,” where Dina and four other ex-patriots find themselves sharing a one room flat in Japan. These misfortunate individuals are escaping from themselves, and through misplaced pride, ill preparation, and execution find themselves on the brink of self-annihilation, finally regressing into their own futileness.…
fixed mindset were more likely to say that they would feel dumb, would study less, and…
A person with a fixed mindset exhibits behaviors that portray the individual as a one track mind. A fixed mindset causes one to only see life from one perspective. A fixed minded individual lacks maturity in learning how to adapt to the changes of life and the challenges it brings. Growth mindset allows one to be open for perspectives on a situation in order to develop a well thought out strategy to solve the challenges of life. It is important for an individual to use a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. These two mindsets exhibit black and white as the fixed mindset and color as the growth mindset. As an individual develops they change their mindsets…
I believe that being open-minded is an important value to live by because when one is open-minded, they see things in a different perspective. Open-mindedness can be defined as “ having or showing a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments” (dictionary.com, 2016). Having an open-mind is good because one is open to try new things and it is a way to see a different outlook on certain situations. By having an open-mind in my professional life, I will be more likely to see things in a different perspective when something I plan does not work out. Having an open-mind will allow me to see what else can be done in order to fix the…
Botton had arrived to London from a trip to Barbados only to realize his home city hadn’t changed one bit. He stated that he came back to London, “To find that the city had stubbornly refused to change” (Botton 47). After reading some of Xavier de Maistre’s work, Botton realized he had to approach his neighborhood with a different mindset to appreciate it and discover new things. He took a walk around his neighborhood with a travelling mindset, as if everything around him was something new. Botton discovered new things and learn to appreciate the buildings and site that were already there. When we get use to one place we become habituated, and think there is really nothing special about it. “It seems inconceivable that there could be anything new to find in a place which we have lived in for a decade or more. We become habituated and therefore we become blind” (Botton 50). The reason people go on vacations is to get away from where they normally live because that place isn’t amusing anymore. Botton is saying that if we look at our current location as somewhere new, we will find things we never really noticed. This travelling mindset can be applied to reading and writing.…
described as habituated, is dull to the human mind and life because it takes on a pattern in which…
In Alain de Botton’s essay, “On Habit” and Adam Gopnik essay, “Bumping into Mr. Ravioli” explain the way that individuals can think creatively and express their feelings and thoughts into newer meaning and in-depth ideas. They also explain the way that the human race are so engaged in technology and busyness that they are overlooking what really is important to them in their life. De Botton is worried that many people do not go beyond limitations and need to explore their surrounding more and appreciate what is going on around them. He urges people to use their ‘traveling mindset’ and try to approach their environments in a positive way that they may have never looked at it before. A ‘traveling mindset’ is when one determines how one will interpret and respond to situations when going to new or old surroundings. Gopnik writes about his three-year old daughter, Olivia, who has an imaginary friend named Charlie Ravioli. When Olivia talks about Mr. Ravioli, she always tells her parents that he is always busy working and does not have time to play or talk with her. Gopnik fears that Olivia is feeling lonely and is reflecting her real life into an imaginary presence. They further more explain the way that individuals should start to realize the benefits of human interactions and the exploration of their environment. The expectations of many individuals are sinking because of a lack of knowledge and desire to be one’s self.…
Traveling is one way to be with your own self. It can even open up to many realizations and possible future plans for you. On top of that, traveling can also lead to knowing new friends and possible dates.…
The author’s idea that is if people never try to leave their own world, then they will be missed many opportunities. This is true. People not only do not change their thought, but also loss lots of good choice whether they stay in the same place. For instance, many people choose to study abroad in order countries today. Maybe they want to feel different countries culture, learn different ways of thinking pattern and broaden their horizon. It will be are wonderful experience for them, and also to provide more chance for their life.…
Some people seek for an increase in personal awareness to achieve self-growth and the process of this can be extremely slow. Researchers have found that there’s a way to speed up this process, and the answer is international travel. Travelers often experience a transformed perception of themselves and the world after experiencing new cultures…
Alain de Botton's main argument on the relationship between anticipation and travel is that while one waits in anticipation of a trip they begin to imagine the most beautiful scenario while often leaving out reality. He also explains how when we are going to travel we tend to leave out the thoughts of the actually travel itself. We see ourselves somehow just showing up to this beautiful destination without having any travel or problems. "In my anticipation, there had simply been a vacuum between the airport and my hotel. Nothing had existed in my mind between the last line on the itinerary and the hotel room." (Botton) Botton shows this main idea in his quote explaining then when he got off the airport…