In Rio, they do guided trips into Favelas. Back before my "travel blogger" days, I chose not to do it, ultimately because it just didn't feel right. Going in to gawk and take photos felt more like a zoo experience (like you mention John) than a human one. Although, I think tourism like this could be setup differently, where you are not bussed in and out of the area back to "safety" and could be something that I could get behind (more of a cultural exchange or perhaps even participating in community projects). It may be the fact that the tourist is just popping in and out, like it was a attraction akin to bungee jumping or, for lack of a better example, a zoo. You can hardly get to know a culture in 3 hours.
