The Fallacy of American Wanderlust

Julia Tolmachyov

The Fallacy of American Wanderlust

Wanderlust is defined as a strong desire to travel (“Wanderlust”, 2014). Historians and sociologists often consider wanderlust to be one of the defining characteristics of Americans – a sentiment echoed by Richard K. Popp in his book, The Holiday Makers (2012). The American identity has been molded over time by the cultural environment of the United States – an environment composed of common work habits, educational systems, and of the collective behavior of the population. Since none of these facets of American culture reflect a desire for travel and exploration, wanderlust should not be considered as a characteristic associated with the American identity.

Historians claim that wanderlust is a distinctive feature of the American identity because it was instrumental in the founding and expansion of the United States. They cite European explorers who ravaged the “New World” in order to build our nation. They argue that American colonists were unsatisfied with a motionless state, fostering an omnipresent desire to move west. The academic theory of Manifest Destiny claims that it was the American mission to expand westwards once the east cost was settled; it was mandated by God that colonists travel to spread their principles of democracy and liberty to new territory (“Manifest Destiny”, 2014). The Turner Thesis too, argues that America’s frontier past has helped shape our collective “restless energy” and “mobility” (Faragher, 2014).  

However, explorers did not cross the ocean because they had a “desire to travel” – as an innate wanderlust would imply – but because it was crucial. Christopher Columbus was solicited by the Queen of Spain to find new resources for her empire, which caused him to voyage across the Atlantic and discover what is now known as North America (“Christopher Columbus”, 2014). The same case is consistent with other travelers who were paid to search for gold, silver, crops, and slaves to bring back to their imperialistic European nations. Even the Puritans, famous for being the first permanent American settlers, did not sail to explore and feast their eyes upon new beauties – they made the dangerous voyage to seek religious sanctuary (“Puritanism”, 2014). In the years following, American settlers moved west due to a lack of farmable land and overcrowding on the coasts. These people were disinterested in learning about new cultures and ways of life; this is reflected in the killing and enslaving of all Native Americans that American colonists came across. This observation is consistent when also looking at the Spanish conquistadors and the Inca people (“Westward Expansion”, 2014). Whether they were European explorers looking for luxuries and resources or Puritans looking for a religious sanctuary, it is clear that the first Americans traveled out of necessity, not curiosity.

Today, American work habits do not encourage abundant leisure time that would allow for excessive travel. After American students finish high school, they are typically funneled straight into college and then the workforce (Avon, 2011). Unlike other developed countries, the United States does not encourage gap years – time taken off by young people to travel – in between school years. Recent statistics from UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, show that in 2012 over 5 percent of accepted university applicants in the UK deferred admission for one year. Statistics in the USA pale in comparison: in 2011, only 1.2 percent of first-time college freshmen took a gap year, according to the Higher Education Research Institute. The difference is even more significant in other nations: in Norway, Denmark, and Turkey, more than 50 percent of students take a year off before college (American Gap Association, 2014). The reasons for Americans’ disinterest in gap years are numerous. American employers often look down on those who take a year off, questioning the individual’s commitment to work (Avon, 2011). Moreover, the massive debt accumulated during college plays a large role in a student’s direct entry into the workforce. The average cost of receiving higher education in the US is $13,856 a year, while Germany, Sweden and France have average annual costs of $933, $600, and $585, respectively (Bell, 2014). The fact that receiving a higher education degree is a fraction of the cost in other developed nations means that these students have more freedom to travel and less pressure to enter the workforce in order to pay off their debt immediately. Furthermore, American work culture is not conducive to the idea of wanderlust because Americans are given little paid vacation time once they enter the workforce. The average European worker receives 6 to 8 weeks of paid vacation, whilst the average American worker receives only 2 weeks (Avon, 2011). Evidently, the work habits and expectations in American society discourage excessive travel amongst citizens.