Life-Changing Insights From Traveling To Every Country In The World (ft. Drew Binsky)
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Drew Binsky (@drewbinsky) is a fearless traveler who's seen it all. From chatting with North Koreans in their homeland to dodging bombings in Somalia and volunteering in Syria in the middle of a civil war, Drew's adventures are nothing short of incredible. He's been to every country in the world, witnessing the most dangerous places and surviving a few close calls. Yet, his experiences have led him to a surprising conclusion: most people, most of the time, are good. Even in the direst circumstances, Drew finds that human resilience can prevail.
In our conversation, Drew shares why he's drawn to war zones and failed states, revealing the profound lessons he's learned from them. We discuss why you should never judge a country by the news you hear about it, how the most impactful trips are often the most challenging, and where to find the friendliest people on Earth. Drew also offers his top travel tips on spontaneity, connecting with locals, and what he looks for on his travel adventures. It's a deep dive into the heart of travel and human nature that might just inspire you to see the world a little differently.
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02:30 Universal truths learned from travel
03:30 What percentage of countries are warm vs cold to foreigners?
06:04 When Drew went to North Korea
08:35 How to prepare for dangerous places
10:05 How to better understand different cultures
11:01 Putting your trust in strangers
12:47 When Drew went to Syria
16:34 Media portrayals vs reality
26:06 The trip that had the biggest impact on Drew
31:44 Is Drew getting desensitized to war zones?
34:45 When Mark made a bad (and drunk) travel decision
39:05 Overrated/Underrated: Government
42:25 Overrated/Underrated: Culture
46:50 Overrated/Underrated: War
52:30 What's next for Drew Binsky?
53:30 What does Drew give too many f*cks about?
57:33 What does Drew give too few f*cks about?
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The podcast is moving to its own UA-cam channel soon! Please go subscribe over there to make sure you don't miss any episodes: www.youtube.com/@TheSubtleArtofNotGivingaFck
Thanks so much for having me on your channel, Mark! It was a fun conversation, and I look forward to seeing you next time, in another country!
Love your videos Drew! I think a personal highlight for me was watching your video on Uzbekistan, going to Bukhara, and seeing the same “yoo-hoo” woman featured in the video. It was absolutely surreal, what an amazing way to connect the world.
Appreciate both of you taking the time too , maybe one day I’ll be able to embark on a journey as well 🔥💪
Drew, I wish you tackled more deep subjects in your travel videos.
You always avoid controversial subjects like politics for example.
Please be more daring and less spectacular...
Just as I was going to point how Taiwan hasn’t been recognized as a country by the UN, I heard your shoutout to my country ❤️ thank you for mentioning it! 😊 from Taiwan!!
Filipinos don't really like Americans.. because they create endless war. 😅 Majority of the filipinos are just being friendly and hospitable with foreigners because you know 🤑.
we are constantly buzzed through media about negativities, hatred and distrust amongst humanity but when people like Drew share their optimistic insights, it's always a sigh of relief.
word
The world is mostly good until you chance into the one encounter when it’s not.
We also have to keep in mind that he is a guy, which has advantages.
🎉😮😊
@PH4Rp😊😅😮😢🎉😂❤😂 1:26 ❤❤❤X
@@markmugi8242😮😢😂❤❤❤
Thanks for having me on man!!! Loved this conversation. And look forward to seeing you again somewhere around the world !
Hey Drew!! Love your videos man. Watching you since 2019
Love your videos Drew
The best takeaway from this interview is, to travel as much as you can!! You will learn so much about the world and yourself, that can't be taught in school. I traveled the world for the last 25 years and I keep doing it for as long as I can!!!
Something I remember Penn Gilette saying was if YOU choose a random person, they are almost sure to be good and trustworthy. If someone random chooses YOU, you are much more likely getting scammed or marked.
I can vouch for this I've traveled a lot. This has been my experience.
Good general rule of thumb. Remain open, but with healthy skepticism.
Penn is a pompous douchecanoe
Some of the kindest people I have met are Persian. So many misconceptions about a truly resiliant, warm-hearted, and beautiful people. Met a woman from Mashad in college that might be the kindest, most inspiring human I have ever met. I wonder how life unfolded for her after med school.
Wishing peace, love, and prosperity to all humankind 💛
"The most extreme traits about a culture tend to define both its advantages and disadvantages" - TRUE AND DEEP.
Interesting talk. One observation I have is that spending very short periods of time in a place can warp your vision of what its actually like. He mentions Japan, "there is no poverty, everyone has a good lifestyle, good jobs, its clean, its safe, everyone looks after each other"... when in reality, whilst its a great place in a lot of ways, its a lot more complex than that. I have been guilty of this myself when travelling, initially seeing what I want to see, and creating a simplistic narrative in my head, but the places I have spent months or years always end up changing my view multiple times as you see more and more of the nuance. But to his defence, the guy has been to EVERY country in the world, he would be hundreds of years old if he was going to spend years in all of them, so still a very interesting perspective
I travelled the world as a kid, which hindered my childhood and upbringing, but the insight was amazing. The best money you can spend, other than education, is travelling.
Dare to be exceptional.
Dare to be uncommon!
Interesting. How do you feel like it hindered your childhood?
@amycampbell8827 lack of stable education and friendships to start with. Having to learn new languages and cultures while a child is still developing and growing. Yes, sure, it had it ups and benefits, but mostly bad. Looking back with a positive, changed mindset I can surly see the beauty and the benefits, but honestly, it made me mature late and I was lost until the age of 32. Thank God I woke up and found my way.
@@Uncommony thanks for the reply and sharing your experience. Glad you've found your way.
@amycampbell8827 No problem at all, and thank you for the question.
Nature is such a big part of why I travel, getting up to the highest point is one of my favorite things.
When I was in the Marines and told my Uncle I was deploying to Afghanistan, the first thing he said was I should learn the language. Everyone is just trying to feed their kids.
What does that mean? What does it have to do with others feeding their kids?
What a pity that there is no Afghan language. 😅
You walk around every country with a camera, people know youre on You Tube, people will be nice and generous with you.
As a listener from Vietnam, it is so fun and proud to watch until the end ^^
Holy shit you got Drew himself on the podcast?! Damn Mark you and your team always manage to get the best guests!
He should ask him about why he does “most dangerous” videos only in Black/Brown countries
@@Nate-hw1nc Because those are the dangerous places lmao
@@joshua8460-o7r Yeah, I think for people that don’t travel outside of their backyard(you). These videos create prejudice against black/brown people.
@@joshua8460-o7r Drew the above comment proves my point. Your words matter and your videos are creating a perception to fear black and brown people
@@joshua8460-o7r He has an affinity for only choosing BLACK and BROWN places. You could choose the Philippines, we could choose Ukraine, he could choose Palestine. He could choose Israel, Bradford England, Serbia. THESE are all countries of the most dangerous in but he doesn’t!! It’s
Sick!!
I’ve been to over 60 countries and lived on 4 continents. I didn’t think I’d get anything out of this interview as I’ve followed these guys on and off for a while. Wow. No, I learned some very useful tools moving forward in my travels, as I’ll be going to some pretty difficult countries soon. I can’t wait…. Even more!
I can’t help thinking some of the countries he talks about visiting and having a surprisingly positive experience if that would be different for a woman travelling alone.
Shoutout from India!
Great content, Mark! I'd like to hear more about your own adventures around the world since you also travelled a lot.
Traveling truly opens up a whole new perspective!
Just 0,05% of the worlds population will ever listen to that precious content - It’s such a privilege- just imagine belonging to less than 0,05% of the world population; even to most popular videos are seen by just 4 Mio people and there are nearly 8 Billion in the World…4.000.000 out of 8.000.000.000 we are so Privileged even being able to listen to this
Skeptical about Afghanistan. He's a guy. He can (mostly) do what he wants.
I'd like to hear the same thing from a female visitor.
Or a gay tourist.
I’m a big fan of yours @drewbinsky, but as an Afghan, I have to respectfully disagree with your view on the Taliban and Afghanistan. I understand that you said you're not a fan of them, but Afghanistan is NOT SAFE!
It's like having Zeus’s protection while walking through hell, seeing the demons not attacking you, and then claiming hell is safe. Sure, it's safe for you as a tourist, but what about the people actually living there? Half of the population (women), can’t go to school, work, or even leave their homes freely. Afghanistan may seem calm from the outside, but for millions, it's still burning. The reality for the locals is harsh and heartbreaking, and it's disappointing to hear tourists label it as "safe." Safe for who? What safety?
In this podcast, I know that India will surely add to their talk and it does as a fav country ❤️ I'm from the northeast of India and most people aren't aware about northeastern states, and people from mainland India were asked is that exists😂 in India. And we the Northeast have a rich culture and tradition and live with many different tribes.
Shoutout from India 🇮🇳
Love from India! 🇮🇳♥️
I would recommend everyone to visit India during festivals.
Listing down few festivals and time to visit.
Ganesh Utsav - Pune / Mumbai (other parts of Maharashtra) - Sept
Holi - Mathura (parts of Uttar Pradesh) - Feb /March
Durga Puja - Kolkata (Parts of West Bengal) - Sept / Oct
Diwali - All over India - Oct / Nov
adding to this list
Hornbill festival- Nagaland
Narkasur idol procession / Narak Chaturdashi- Goa (Diwali)
Goa Carnival parade ( Feb)
Christmas- Gangtok, Shillong and Darjeeling
also Durga Puja is celebrated all over West Bengal just like Ganesh Chaturthi all over Maharashtra
I love traveling and love Drews work.
Big difference being a male travelling solo to being a female to some of these country’s, doors are more open to men is my experience
I commented similarly.. I'm not sure men even realize it.
I’d like to see an interview with Peter Santanello here
hh
@@shuangshuang3572 ?
This is a great interview, Mark. I can totally relate to the one living abroad. You get to be aware and appreciate at the same time what you have. Never had closed calls like you and Drew had and I intend not to experience it. Kudos to both of you. I listened to this chat bit by bits. So interesting
Your trip to South Korea was absolutely incredible Mark.
Ive been watching Drew for a while, and hes something else man 😂
The way he explains these crazy stories so non-chalantly is insane 😭
Observer bias?... I agree that vast majority of people are kind and hospitable, and I wouldn't disagree with people with so much experience in this area, but have you considered the effect of the observer bias you have as an American visiting these countries? I know in certain countries if you look foreign you're treated like a bit of a God or fetishised in some way. I wonder how much that is at play here (because it certainly is, but to what degree...)
Interesting. I think what youre saying is true
Most of all, he's a male... not being in constant fear of getting gr4ped makes such a visit a very, very different experience.
@@toseltreps1101this is a perspective that is often ignored on this podcast unfortunately. I like a lot of what MM has to say but the lack of acknowledgment that his white-cis-het-male-American experience is very different than other folks’ is really odd. Given how smart and insightful he seems to be, it’s a bit surprising to me that he almost goes out of his way to ignore some basic shit around privilege.
@@toseltreps1101 Yeah you're totally right. Not sure how I missed that either... my own bias!
Privilege? All you libs are so sadly focused on color. But since we’re on this narrow minded topic of race, Binsky is Jewish, the most hated people on the planet now. Ha you libs all about that J hate. If you watched his videos especially in Middle East, he was scared of being outed as a Jew
His experiences are fascinating. Unfortunately it would not be as safe, nor would some areas be as welcoming for a woman traveling on her own.
True, but Eva zu Beck has at least travelled some interesting countries, despite the fact that they are regarded as not particularly safe for female solo travellers.
Drew Binsky is the best goodwill ambassador that we could ask for!
I've just been on my first solo trip and I feel like I've had the exact opposite experience of these guys lol. If anything it made me feel incredibly empty at times and felt like winning a trophy with no one to celebrate it with. I've seen so many beautiful things over the last few weeks in Denmark and Italy but I would often not care in the slightest because I didn't really have anyone to share the experience with. Thanks for the episode 👍.
Edit: Also, I'd consider myself someone that tries to appreciate other cultures for what they are and have an open mind back in my own country of Canada. It's nice because being in a country like Canada I get to meet people from all over the globe. However, if anything, parts of this trip made me feel even more Canadian and less of a global citizen 😂.
Drew has lived the life many throughout the 2000s and the 2010s wanted to live
Deeply moving and inspiring. My whole purpose for traveling. Thank you both!
I am 15 and i am from India, I have been watching your videos for a year now and have read the the subtle art book you wrote. You are one of the best authors who tell about what to give a f about I hope I meet you sometime in real life
Two awesome people who take life as it is handed out. Reminding you do life your way. Thanks for a great conversation.
I used to enjoy Marks work around philosophy, like when he say “ we imagine our own importance. We are nothing but a small bunch of dust that will be gone soon”. Although this podcast is not talking in this kind of aspect, it’s about people’s experiences and other’s personality and perspective without reflecting on philosophy.
I love you Mark any ways.. and enjoy your work
My wife and I did 2 week archeological tour in Saudi Arabia in February and will definitely return in future when projects like NEOM and others are completed.
Highlight of trip was when my wife was invited to attend the women’s only wedding ceremony in hotel we were staying in by 46:20 accident. Women had taken off their formal clothes and entertained my wife and our female guide for an hour or so.
Al-Ula is also an amazing place to visit
Yes Mark, you should totally come to Budapest! 😃 It was an awesome episode, thanks a lot! 😊
Great podcast! I'm also a global traveller on a mission to see every country in the world. If you are ever looking for another crazy traveller to interview. My hand is raised!
Drew has genuine stories to tell. Well traveled people always have great stories.
Very pleasurable to view your video after a minute
This is not a knock on the guest Drew, but when thinking about a guy who has traveled to all the countries in the world, it steers me towards assuming he most likely grew up affluent where money was never a concern for him.
Then we hear how golf is a passion of his, which isn't a cheap sport, thus confirming my assumption.
Ok? What was the point of saying this? How does it change anything they talked about?
@TheDrov when did I say it changed anything they talked about?
My point is that being able to travel to every country in the world is an unattainable goal for most people.
@SOURCEw00t WHO CARES. It doesn't matter. He didn't tell everyone to make it their goal. You're taking awhile from the interesting and positive things he's done with your negative post
Greetings! I'm a spotify subscriber and usually just passively listening, but this one hit a bit closer to home as I'm an American living abroad and absolutely believe in the importance of traveling (though I'm not nearly as adventurous in my destination choices).
It's surprising and not surprisng at the same time to hear about how different some countries are to their protayal in the news. The one thing I think was missing or ilthqt could have been addressed that really stood out to me was the female perspective when traveling. It's great that your guest had all these amazing and transformative experiences and that he can document so much, but the first question that popped in my mind was, "would some of those countries and people be so friendly if he wasn't a male?"
Just a perspective and question I wanted to share. Thanks for the thought-provoking podcasts!
That was in my head too regarding being female in some countries. Great video though 👌 😊
Drew is new to me. Interesting guy
This was a great interview. Drew Binsky is the Michael Jordan of traveling 🐐
thank you Drew Binsky. I am from Iran and that was soooo interesting to me that you came to my country twice and you love my country. I hope you travel to Iran soon. thank you for introducing my beautiful country and rich culture to the world.
Hello Mark I hope you are well. I'm Amerok from the old Boston Men's Symposium. Thanks for all the great advice BTW. Inspiring to witness your life and growth. I think this is a great interview (and YT channel), thank you very much . All the best in your current and future projects and in your personal life. Respectfully yours. :)
As a swiss Person I agree! Typical swiss behaviour is very "Hobbit-like" and very unfriendly towards strangers/travellers. I get called "american" many times, because I can actually be social lol
really enjoy your videos and podcasts Mark. Nice work ! from S.Korea
Long time fan. I usually dont comment, but just listened to this interview on Spotify and it caught me off guard! It was so positive and wholesome!. Great questions asked and great responses from an awesome guest. Keep it up!
Mark Manson and Drew Binksy in one video? Today is a good day.
When I saw Drew binsly is being on Mark manson's podcast, I thought I'm triping out my two best influencer's! Can't wait to travel!
Love both these UA-camrs! Keep inspiring us guys❤
I super dig your content Drew, especially the newer videos. But, just wanted to share this statistic with you; According to the Geneva Academy of International
Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, “Today, it monitors more than 110 armed conflicts and provides information about parties, the latest developments and applicable infernational law. Some of these conflicts, make the headlines, others do not. Some of them started
recently, while others have lasted for more than, 50, years.”
Great interview with Drew Binsky! It would have been cool to hear him mention the Philippines, especially since we know how much he loves it. Still, really enjoyed the insights he shared!
I felt the same way when I visited Turkey, I had heard the worst things on the news and was super pleasantly surprised when
I was there. And I'm Greek, so the propaganda was huge.
I loved Charlie Rose. My mom and I watched him all the time. PBS was huge for us back then. I agree memories are getting shorter I notice it in myself and it scares me.
Thank you for this! Great talk, as always. I feel like a good opportunity's been missed here to address some huge (astronomic!) misconceptions American GenZ has about the middle east, but I guess right now it's kind of the hot potato noboday wanna touch. I think (and hope) this perhaps was the topic Mark was aiming for, around 49 minutes in. See if you can get Sam Harris to come on the show; I think he's one of the few who has the balls to talk about it without fear and is super insightful about it (which I can confirm as a Middle Easterner).
@MrMarkManson01 Well, I don't mean to think like the whole world revolves around my tiny country, but lately it seems like it does. I was waiting for Drew to talk about Israel, but he didn't. How's this for resilience - Israelis have watched their friends & families get raped, burned, killed and kidnapped into Gaza by a jihadi, genocidal death mob. 9 months later, half the Western world gaslights us by saying that it didn't happen, because it clashes with some BS history they saw on TikTok or a theory they learned in class that doesn't fit the Middle East. The IDF managed to set an impossible standard to follow in terms of civilian to combatant ratio (despite Hamas using people as human shields), but all the major news outlets are shamelessly lying about it. Meanwhile, around the Middle East, Arabs are killing Arabs by the hundreds of thousands - Oppressing resistance, mutilating women, holding slaves.. But no one's talking about it because they can't blame the jews. I've been dying to hear someone say something meaningful about it, but it seems most Podcasts guests are trying to avoid this issue, so as not to upset any snowflaky followers. However, if anyone has the power of IDGAF to do so, it's probably you. And I kinda got the feeling you were referencing that at some point with Drew, but he didn't wanna play along.
really good and cool podcast!! thank you so much!! I watched the whole
As a Ukrainian, I was surprised to hear that Drew is planning to visit Ukraine 😮 Since the russian invasion, foreigners rarely come here for obvious reasons, but those who do they definitely have the balls 😂
I love Drew Binsky and his incredible travel videos, he is married now to a beautiful Filipino Lady, and has featured the Philippines, one of the greatest countries in the world. But love his videos about Afghanistan, Madagascar, European countries, and he interviews great local people too. Thanks for having him. Thank you Mark Manson, God bless you and all of us 🌹🌹🌹
Great content.💕 Enjoyed itl. Interesting hearing about his global perspective about people in different countries ❤Ty for sharing subscribed
I thought that was EMIN3M
Hey Mark -
NO reason to EXPECT to be robbed in Brasil every time you go
I am from Florida but lived here since 2001, in the NE and SE and NEVER had one single problem, but I am not cruising the favelas either, if you know what I mean.
Brasil is as big as the US and Brasilians are the MOST Americanized people anywhere. They grew up with everything we did ; TV shows ; Flintstones, Adams Family, rock and roll, jazz, food, etc.
Down in the south where I live now it's so European I feel like it's home for me.
Can't think of any other country I'd rather live in !
People in the US know very little outside of even their county much less country. They are really clueless about other cultures. That is one of the biggest problems there. That is why they are easily radicalized and so ignorant
I was looking for this specific type of content!
1:38 I watched the whole thing and didn't figure out his favorite country.
It’s The Philippines
@@Jufron97 ah thanks
@@CosmoSkerry Becoz his wife I guess
An awesome listen...very insightful 💙💪
Nice video, but very biased from the perspective of wealthy, white, Western male travelers. For BIPOC and women (and especially those who are both), traveling solo is MUCH more difficult and dangerous.
Great interview I found it fascinating
Beautiful conversation, thank you guys ❤
Hahaha i've listened to almost every podcast you made and I stubled upon on of your video's and I was like: who the F is this dude and then I saw you were Mark Manson XD Then I linked the image to the voice and that was weiiirrdd, I had NO idea what you guys looked like but I feel like I kind of 'know' you because of the podcast. Thanks for making this content! Love you guys.
12:38 i resonate so much when he says he travels for the PEOPLE. sightseeing gets old so quickly. even the most stunning nature and buildings become really 'familiar' after just one day at the same location. but immersing yourself in culture, interacting with locals and experiencing different social norms constantly blows your mind. its the random conversations you have at bars and weird alleyways and the new friends you make that really create the lasting memories... not so much what the place 'looks' like. that's why i had so much more fun traveling places like Japan and South Korea than places like western Europe. In Tokyo and Seoul, you just get lost and discover endless things on every street corner, speaking with shopowners and young people along the way . In places like Paris, people go for the old architecture and historical sites that lose their luster very quickly (while local people/culture just kinda suck).
I needed this, as right now, I am questioning the humanity which I don’t see around me mostly
Loved it very much! Many thanks.
Great podcast! One thing I wish would’ve been asked is how Drew thinks his travels would be different if he was female. I suspect some places considered “safe” or “friendly” might change in that context
That was so good !! I loved every second of it...thanks for making it n speak out the truth about some countries that most people think they are so scary n awful
I agree wuth u Iram, syria all of them are so pretty n it is definitly worth visiting them❤
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️❤️❤️✨️✨️✨️✨️
Love from India ♥️ I would like you guys to visit Southern part of India there is lot to explore and learn in terms of cultures and values
Every place is SOOO great… and they always come back to the US/CA.
This is awesome. Very insightfull
저도 이렇게 멋진 유튜버가 될 수 있을까요? 저도 유튜브로 꼭 성공해서 부모님 호강 시켜드리고 효도도 많이하고 자랑스러운 아들이 되고싶네요
The stereotyoe of Brazilians not being hard workers is asinine. Some of the hardest workers I've ever been around.
@MrMarkManson01 my experience living here seems to be much different than yours. I live in the outskirts of São Paulo, and everyone I'm around works their ass off. Yes, they like to party too, but they work the same number of hours we do in the US. The customer service, especially at stores and restaurants, is far superior to what I saw in 35 years living in the US.
PS.
I posted this, then forgot, before listening to the whole podcast. My bad for that part.
We are the same age, I have a Brazilian wife, and I relate to so much of your story. I appreciate you.
Drew Binsky....can you give any advice how to connect with African tribe? What can you talk with them? Did they really make a plan how to hunt for food the next day??
Is the video which was supposed to be out in July posted yet? I am eagerly waiting for it.
If I could have a do-over on life I would probably do what this guy did. He had the guts to do it and it's very admirable.
Take the leap. Travel is more accessible than many realize. Huge parts of Asia, Latin America, Africa and even Europe are quite affordable by us standards, and have established tourism infrastructure. Plus, speaking English is a major bonus.
Loved this interview!
As a somali in somalia rn all I want to say is it’s not what you hear on your ears but what you saw on your eyes 😂 peace ✌️
Mark, can you please provide link to your podcast because I can't seem to find it on UA-cam
50.33! You said it, Mark! The serious downside of current media, no historical context!
Nice work Mr Manson.
I'm Swiss and Drew is right🤷♂️😂
How about Centennial Island in the Andaman? Will he go there and prove that people will always help?
i really love your content
This is such an interesting conversation and to know how different it would be if it were two women speaking.
Extremely cool episode!
Im iranian and I love america.
Omg best video I might have seen ❤