Video Transcript:
Hello! My name is Kate d., and I conducted ethnographic research on a travel subculture found on the platform Reddit. Created in early 2008, the diverse and passionate community has over 5.5 million travelers and thousands of posts consisting of photographs, videos, blogs, and journal entries which encapsulate their trips and excursions.
However, travel culture has been halted due to the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Borders closed, restrictions on mobility were struck, and the stress to remain home increased. Travel became a taboo subject, afflicting online travel communities and its users. The travel subreddit, however, remains lively and continues posting, their wanderlust unbreakable. However, their spirit did not ward off controversial opinions from seeping into the page, creating divides within the travel community. Since March of 2020, people have questioned the newly implemented travel regulations and its safety, debating whether or not one should be allowed to continue traveling during the pandemic. Many travelers have continued their endeavors across the globe and others have postponed trips.
Curious of these polarizing viewpoints and the travel subculture itself, the research questions how the subreddit’s overall purpose and appearance has been affected, and how the members’ differing opinions impacted the online subculture and, possibly, the offline world. In their answers, readers may derive their own perceptions towards the pandemic traveling, hopefully gaining a greater understanding of the global perspective on COVID-19.
Observing without interference, or lurking, was a key component to capturing the genuine atmosphere of the subculture. Studying popular, pandemic-related posts were recorded and added into the detailed field notes of the research. Most posts were easily divided by their differing opinions, from those who supported travel during the pandemic and those who disagreed with pandemic traveling. Each had varying reasoning, but the division was made evident after further inspection. To the left of the slide, there are posts of those awaiting the coronavirus’s end to continue traveling, and to the right of the slide, there are those who continue traveling despite the pandemic and its restrictions. Posts similar to the right were found more popular and frequently on the subreddit page, meaning the majority of members were continuing on with their trips.
Interviews were difficult to conduct as the subreddit page limits what can be posted. Moderators must review and ensure posts follow the subreddit’s regulations before accepting them, to guarantee the page’s focus stays on traveling. Unfortunately, a survey did not meet the standards, so I had to dive into the subculture’s comment section and question whether anyone had traveled across international borders since the outbreak of the coronavirus, also asking where they went and how the trip was. Then, I subtly asked their own opinions on the continuation to travel during the pandemic. To the left of the slide, there was an interview with the user eurolynn who supported travel during COVID and had even gone on a trip herself from the U.S. to the U.K.. To the right of the slide is the interview with user Chas_Tenenbaums_Socks who, like eurolynn, agreed with the continuation of travel and had gone on his own trip from the U.S. to Croatia.
Reflecting on observations and interviews, the travel subreddit showed its majority of members supported and often encouraged traveling despite COVID-19. Many stated that if a traveler understood the risk and took precautions such as wearing a mask, periodically taking a coronavirus test, respecting different countries’ regulations, and more, continuing to voyage out was not to be discouraged. The passion members carry for travel and the subreddit’s strong, uplifting community can be the cause for this way of thinking, and it’s opinions remain strong as the months continue.
Consequences of these viewpoints can vary, but their positives and negatives can truly affect reality. Social media and the ideas it spreads will impact the offline world as much as the online one. Though further research is necessary to fully connect these claims, the supportive travel ideals can jumpstart the travel industry along with tourism and airports. However, there’s the possibility of it leading to increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases due to the heightening factors of risk. The travel subculture possesses great merit and could very well affect the future lives of global travelers. It is not to be underestimated, yet it will mostly likely remain a fortified community of passionate, enthusiastic travelers, eager to continue sharing their experiences with the world to whatever impact it may have.
The Digital Ethnography Project 