The poet Lovelle Drachman once said, "blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.", which is certainly true of people with wanderlust.
‘Wanderlust' is derived from a German word meaning 'a love of hiking' and now used to describe the burning desire to escape the everyday and explore the unfamiliar. Wanderlust is a common, but not universal experience. What makes some peoplecatch that travel bugwhile others are apparently unaffected?
One theory is to do with our genes. Scientific research has identified a variant of the DRD4 gene that affects sensitivity to dopamine(多巴胺), the neuro-transmitter often released in the brain when we do something we enjoy. Actually, it's not that the 7R version of the DRD4 specifically creates a thirst for travel, but people with the 7R variant are less sensitive to that delicious dopamine hit.
So simple things that bring other people pleasure, like a jog in the park or a cheeky chocolate treat, might not cut it for them, which makes those with the 7R type of the DRD4 gene more likely to be risk takers to get increased dopamine levels. That's way DRD4-7R has been called the wanderlust gene. Other researches have also linked the same 7R variant to far riskier behaviours, such as addiction and offensive behaviour. By comparison, the strong sudden desire to go travelling seems like the better end of the Theory of Evolution.
But another theory looks at the psychology of living in our inter-connected human society, one in which we are constantly aware of what friends and social media influencers are doing and keep comparing ourselves to them in two distinct ways. Upwards social comparisons, comparing ourselves to those we see as more successful than us. And downward social comparisons, comparing ourselves to those we see as worse off than us. In the age of social media, it's very easy to compare ourselves unfavourably with the idealized version. How can we compete with influencers, with their perfectly dark brown legs on neat and clean while sand, and their once in a lifetime sunsets over Machu Picchu?
Whether the motivation to explore the world is genetic, psychological or something else, there are far more harmful hobbies than the desire to explore the world. Venturing outside your comfort zone, to learn about new cultures, meet people you might otherwise never have had the chance to meet, and finally, learn who you are in different situations. Sounds like a life well-lived. As the novelist Jack Kerouac said, "Because in the end, you won't remember the time you spent in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain."
