It is not necessary to travel to other places to learn about other cultures of other people. We can learn just as much from books, films, and the internet. Do you agree or disagree?

Today, much information regarding various places and cultures is available online and in books. So, it is believed that one need not travel if one wishes to know about the culture of that place. However, I do not concur with this statement, and I will discuss a few justifications in the following paragraphs.

Though immense information is available to us in books and on various websites in the form of textual content, pictures, and videos, travelling to a place has always been an unparalleled experience for travelling gives first-hand experience. Culture has numerous layers and aspects; consequently, it is impossible to put these in words. However, since culture is understood and appreciated differently by people, a book or picture shows someone else’s perspective of a place or culture. Thus, it is suggested to visit a place to know and appreciate the local culture.

Furthermore, the texts may be published for commercial reasons and have partial information. It has been observed that most books and websites publish only the most popular or known aspects of a culture or tradition and leave the others, although these may be significant in some cases. Also, it is neither possible to understand local festivals nor enjoy them from a remote place by watching videos and snaps. Further, food is a significant part of a culture whose authentic taste may be hard to find in a foreign land. Thus, it becomes imperative for one to visit that place to have wholesome and genuine experiences.

To sum up, the published content is not enough if one wishes to know everything about a civilization. Many reasons have been given to justify this statement.