We rent an apartment on a lake near Alexandria, MN, for the summer. We have shared this apartment with Cindy’s brother and his wife Denise for several years. With gas near $4, the 180 mile trip is costly but affordable. Having a little disposal income allowing such luxuries is one of the benefits of being older. Still, I am somewhat concerned about what this money represents and how the cost would have inhibited my opportunities in earlier days and how it inhibits the opportunities of younger folks today.
We have spent most of our working lives in North Dakota. It has been a great place to live, but I do think think there are limitations that come as a consequence of remoteness. Diversity of experience and professional contacts are important parts of complex thinking. I am not certain remote access via the Internet is a reasonable substitute for soaking up the culture or the FTF social experiences that are a natural part of “being there”. I think it is important for those of us with a focus on the development of “human sciences” to develop the insights that come as a consequences of travel. It is not the trips to the lake that are a limitation here, but the opportunities for international travel and experiences in more metropolitan areas. More and more, the travel funds available in university budgets are inadequate to support the professional development of the faculty. I suppose this looks like vacation days to the general public. I remember the days when NECC was held in Minneapolis. No more. Biases are everywhere and unfortunately there is a snobbishness that limits the locations folks from higher population areas of the country will visit for conferences.
Unfortunately, for those who do not travel much, it is difficult to explain the benefits of broader perspectives. This lack of understanding and remoteness are likely correlated. Hence, those who are most in need of such experiences are less likely to have the opportunity for such experiences.
