In Digital Nomads and Settler Desires: Racial Fantasies of Silicon Valley Imperialism, McElroy compares how digital nomadism intersects with settlers’ behaviors and contributes to new forms of exploitation and gentrification.
Before I read this article, I was surprised by how the seemingly distant terms came together, as digital nomadism is the polished incentive for tech industry workers, where workers can explore the world while working online. Yet, McElroy goes on to show that digital nomadism is rooted in 19th-century Orientalist and Gypsy narratives, appropriating another culture without really understanding it and dispossessing local homes through racialized fantasies. Additionally, as the author references in Thomas Sutherland’s argument, “the fetishization of digital nomadic identity is concerning,” as real nomads in need are overshadowed by the romanticized notion of “digital nomads.”
Digital nomadism has not only contributed to the displacement and gentrification of homes in other countries as digital nomads travel the world but has also exacerbated homelessness in San Francisco. As digital nomads work both at home and abroad, they intensify a cycle in which poor people become poorer as rent prices rise globally and locally.
It was interesting how Airbnb entered the discussion. Airbnb serves as a platform where digital nomads settle in other countries and “create a global community.” However, as McElroy notes, Airbnb and its users “have circulated the corporation’s multicultural colonial aspirations.” Digital nomads living in these spaces exist within a bubble of privilege, consuming a filtered version of the local culture without engaging in meaningful interactions.
McElroy’s discussion challenged my understanding of platforms like Airbnb. I used to believe that staying in an Airbnb could benefit the local community by giving homeowners an opportunity to earn money through temporary stays. However, McElroy illustrates how Airbnb can instead be “Airdnd”—death and displacement—intensifying gentrification by forcing poorer residents out of their homes due to rising rent prices.
Ultimately, this reading really pushed me to critically engage in what I believe was a good thing as a traveler. It made me wonder: How should I travel in the future? Should I use Airbnb? How can I really engage with the locals as I am traveling?
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