foodepedia
It is unfortunate to 'music lovers' that One Direction sell, but it's all part of life's rich tapestry. I am not going to buy their music or go to their shows but I would not deny anyone else that pleasure if they enjoy it.
The airhead travel bloggers come in two forms. Young and retired. The only real difference between them is that the retired generally spell better. They both have their loyal audiences and so good luck to them, they don't affect me any more than One Direction does.
I am not about to tell anyone what they should or should not read. As long as I can find what I want to read, either online or in print, I am happy. When I write, I write what I would want to read, I do not try and second guess my readership. My readership is essentially me, if anyone else likes it too that's a bonus.
And getting paid is the icing on the cake.
And does a real editor or travel writer every join these discussions? Of course not, they are far too busy to be bothered with the arguments and concerns of glorified amateurs. And I class myself as one of those, before anyone jumps at me!
It's a discussion that's been done to death.
All I'd say is that personally I find the fish out of water stuff usually more interesting, more informative and more fun than the solemn, sociological, 'Me,Traveller. You tourist' kind of stuff. That's usually a trite, cliched read.
People who aren't simply travel writers see through a sharper lens and comedians possibly see best of all because of their nature. Send a decent comedian to Kathmandu or Coventry and I'll give the result a go.
All I care about is a good read, not where it appears.or who gets paid or who doesn't or how they're paid or what it is labelled as.
The fact that there are so many airheads wandering around the globe keeping a pedestrian online diary with sharp but poorly composed photos, avidly read by other airheads who want to do the same one day, is fine by me. In film, music or just about anything else there is going to be stuff that is clearly pretty crap by any serious standards but nonetheless sells very well.
I find calling writing of any kind 'content' depressing. It's fashionable I know, but it really is derogatory and itself contributes to a lowering of standards.