Travelling Era

I was once in the tube in London on a Friday morning, seeing crowds travelling shoulder to shoulder in the narrow, dull and damp carriages. Men were in suits with cases, women stood straight.  It was silent except for the announcement of stations. No one talked, or even had a smile on their faces.

This week’s New Statesman pointed out that we travel six times more than we did fifty years ago, The figure is forecast to be doubled within twenty years. We spend far more time on each journey: on the way to work, on the way home, on the way to a famous travel site during the holidays. As Zareer, the author claimed: “Our travel habits are creating a transient society.”

The most frequently cited argument is that we damage the environment. Though public transportation is improving a lot, people are unwilling to give up their own cars. Energy consumption is increasing sharply; more carbon is being emitted into the atmosphere, thereby exacerbating the greenhouse effect.

Another concern is about the relationship between people. We are taking steps towards a “hypermobility” society as the links between people are fading. Once I rented a flat. During the two-month lease, I had three different neighbours. I could not tell whether it was a he or a she. In contrast, I had neighbours family when I was a juvenile.

High migration might be an index for evaluating the development of an economy. Surplus labour transfers to where required. But, it also puts stress on the environment, transportation, and even society. We need to face it; even, with a smile on the tube.