Do you have a friend on your Instagram or Facebook feed who always seems to be traveling? At some point, has their obsessive need to travel ever made you feel suspicious about whether they are doing it to enjoy themselves or just to make people envious on their social media feeds? Have you questioned why they feel the chronic need to get away?
Berg, a TikTok user in New York, has wondered the same thing. But instead of silently thinking it to himself while scrolling through Instagram, he posted about it on TikTok and received a big backlash. In a post from November 2024, he made a bold statement: People who travel too much probably hate their lives.
“I get annoyed by people who brag about traveling a ton,” he said in the video, which has over 640,000 views. “Traveling is great, going on trips is great, everyone should explore, but if you are going on like five trips a year then maybe you just hate your life, maybe you just hate your hometown, maybe you just don’t know how to have fun or feel important without going to places that other people deem interesting. I don’t think there’s anything cool about that.”
@cberg24 People who travel too much probably hate their life #travel #life
Berg then speculated that those who constantly travel should focus more on improving their lives at home. “If you can’t spend a month in the place that you live without losing your mind, then maybe you shouldn’t live there. If you can afford all these trips and you’re literally doing it because you need a break from your hometown that often, then move,” he said.
Many people in the comments accused Berg of being jealous because, for whatever reason, he isn’t out there enjoying the good life.
“Projection will put a spotlight on your insecurities every time, bro. Go on, get a robinhood account, get better at saving, and plan a vacation,” one commenter wrote.
“Or… there’s a whole world out there full of different cultures and history that they want to experience???” another added.
“Jealousy is jealousy,” a commenter wrote.
Could Berg be onto something or is he just bitter?via Canva/Photos
However, some people agree that Berg has a valid point. “People aren’t getting it. It’s escapism, it’s avoidant. It’s an addiction like any other,” one of his most popular supporters wrote.
“They’re eating you up in the comments but I actually think there’s some truth to your point,” another added.
“I agree with this! It’s escapism—they’re uncomfortable sitting in the familiar,” a commenter affirmed.
Do younger people travel just to post photos online?
While it’s hard to know if people who travel a lot are happy, there is evidence that social media plays a big role in people’s travel decisions, especially with the younger generations. A study by Travel Pulse found that 21% of people aged 22 to 37 stated that their primary reason for travel was to get photos for their social media page. A whopping 61% said they would not travel to a destination if they could not take pictures and post them online. Another study published by PR Newswire found that 36% of millennial-aged travelers confessed to posting misleading information to make their travel look glamorous, and 65% said it was to make friends and family jealous.
Ultimately, people travel for a wide variety of reasons, so it’s wrong to paint them all with the same brush. However, one thing is clear: social media has changed why people travel. So, the next time your frequent flyer friend posts another snap of their latest trip, it’s fair to ask: Are they doing this out of a thirst for adventure or attention?