In the aftermath of the pandemic, the intricacies of travel have become more apparent than ever. Each summer vacation seems to underscore the fragile and complex nature of our global civilization. During a trip to Greece in August 2021, the enormity of international travel infrastructure—encompassing everything from airplanes and schedules to baggage handlers—felt almost surreal. It was as if navigating this elaborate system was akin to entering a chain-reaction contraption, where a sequence of events eventually leads to something as simple as arriving on a Greek island.
This sense of complexity reemerged during a recent trip to Lanzarote with friends. Lanzarote, a stark volcanic island off the coast of Africa, features an unexpected array of “authentic Irish bars” and “traditional British pubs” offering English breakfasts. Its seafront, frequented by sunburned British tourists on mobility scooters, starkly contrasts with the island’s rugged landscape. The ability to order a bacon sandwich and tea in what was once the fringes of the civilized world seems almost absurd.
The underlying complexity of this seemingly straightforward experience is staggering. Consider the desalination plants essential for providing fresh water on an island devoid of natural sources, or the satellites and technology enabling transactions with an English bank card at a Spanish ATM. The supply of bacon, despite the absence of pigs for thousands of miles, is another marvel of this intricate system. While people grasp parts of this vast network, no one fully comprehends its entirety.
Historian Eric Cline has pointed out that the collapse of Mediterranean civilizations at the end of the Bronze Age was due to “hyper-coherence.” The highly interdependent trade networks of those societies were so delicate that even minor disruptions could lead to their downfall. Should modern civilization face a similar fate, Lanzarote might well be among the first to experience it. Perhaps this perspective makes me less than ideal company on holiday, but it highlights a profound truth about the complexity of our interconnected world.
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