Did you know that the term “fear porn” is on the rise?
Used to describe a concept by mainstream media, it is the constant bombardment of negative images and words that affect our daily lives and thoughts.
The Centre for Research on Globalization openly states that the “mainstream media is selling fear to control the public.”
Of course, whether you buy into fear porn depends on whether you are the type of person that looks at life, as the “glass being half empty or half full”
It is not only the mainstream media that can be accused of fear porn though. There are many religions and spirituality groups who claim the “end is nigh”.
Some conscious living advocates are now speaking out against this form of subliminal grooming, but the fact is that many people around the globe live their lives in fear, and one area it is affecting is their travel experiences.
When Fear Ruins your Travel Experiences
Travel is probably one of the biggest achievements that a person can make when it comes to expanding the mind, but two popular recurring themes are whether it is safe for women to travel solo, and which countries should be avoided.
It is my belief that the country of Turkey is one such victim of fear porn.
In 2014, when news of ISIS started spreading, travel agents regularly complained that holiday bookings were being cancelled en-mass. Enquiries dropped and emails dried up. Despite the fact that this news was emerging from Syria, people were hesitant to travel to Turkey, of which its only crime is to be a bordering country.
Could it have been the connection to Islam and were people unwilling buying into Islamophobia?
When their holiday was booked to places like Istanbul, did they forget to look at a map to see that the distance between Istanbul and Syria is 1470 kilometres, that is more than a day’s drive away?
Speaking to Julian Walker, a property investment expert, operating in the Turkish real estate industry,, he has spotted a common trend over the years. He points out that British and European nationalities are not concerned about safety in Turkey. They buy property in the country either for use as a holiday home or indeed to relocate there for expat living.
Unfortunately though, it seems Americans and Australians are less hesitant to enjoy the summer life on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey.
I spoke to a few travel agents about the trend noticed by Julian Walker and they agreed. So much so, they are now focusing on European, Chinese and Russian markets to keep their businesses going in 2015.
Could the mainstream media in America and Australia hold the blame?
Regarding the aspect of whether it is safe for women to travel in Turkey, the number of women who have successfully done it, far outweighs the number of unfortunate incidents.
Don’t let Fear Stop You
The benefits of travel are immense. They include..
• Boosting the self-esteem by experiencing events outside of a normal boundaries
• Re-enforcing our internal locus of control. (How much we perceive ourselves to be in control of our lives)
• Reducing social anxiety by meeting new people
• Increasing our worldly knowledgeable by hearing and learning new languages
• Improving people relationships by embracing cultures and traditions that are different to what we have been bought up with
• Developing our likes and dislikes simply by tasting other food and seeing landscapes that are dramatically different from our home towns.
Don’t let fear porn prevent you from travelling. It is one of the greatest experiences a person can have.
Natalie Sayin is a freelance travel writer living in Turkey. She actively tackles the topics of culture, traditions and religion, with an aim to self-improvement and harmony with mixed communities. When she is not writing, she can often be found in museums or exploring historical landmarks.