‘The White Lotus’ Season 2 Understands the Emptiness of the Instagram Vacation

A few months ago, I read a Vox story about traveling to the "Instagram capital of the world," Positano, that has haunted me ever since. After the writer Rebecca Jennings' week-long trip to the Italian city, she wrote that the whole vacation left her feeling suckered, in part because she took basically the same vacation as everyone she follows on Instagram. Watching this season of The White Lotus, it's clear the show not only understands the idea of the "Instagram vacation"—complete with recommendations from friends, Resy reservations, and Google review-based activities—but it also wants to call me out for it. And frankly, I deserve it.

Towards the beginning of season 2, episode 3, Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) is having a conversation with Albie (Adam DiMarco) about how boring life seems. "I've been feeling so depressed at home, and I just thought I'd come here and feel something.... And now you come somewhere like this and it's beautiful and you take a picture and then realize that everyone's taken that same picture from that exact same spot. You just made some redundant content for stupid Instagram." And Albie responds with a half-hearted idea that even he doesn't buy into: "Throw away your phone. Throw it in the ocean." Notably, Portia continues to sit there and text on said phone, doing the literal opposite of throwing it in the ocean.

Later in the episode, there's a scene with Daphne (Meghann Fahy) and Harper (Aubrey Plaza) that gets at this same idea in a different way.

View in Browser  GIFT IDEAS EXCLUSIVE READS THE COSMO SHOP We made you the best gift guide on the internet—and, yeah, we know, there are a looottt out there. 🤭   'The White Lotus' Season 2 Understands the Emptiness of the Instagram Vacation A few months ago, I read a Vox story about traveling to the "Instagram capital of the world," Positano, that has haunted me ever since. After the writer Rebecca Jennings' week-long trip to the Italian city, she wrote that the whole vacation left her feeling suckered, in part because she took basically the same vacation as everyone she follows on Instagram. Watching this season of The White Lotus, it's clear the show not only understands the idea of the "Instagram vacation"—complete with recommendations from friends, Resy reservations, and Google review-based activities—but it also wants to call me out for it. And frankly, I deserve it. Towards the beginning of season 2, episode 3, Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) is having a conversation with Albie (Adam DiMarco) about how boring life seems. "I've been feeling so depressed at home, and I just thought I'd come here and feel something.... And now you come somewhere like this and it's beautiful and you take a picture and then realize that everyone's taken that same picture from that exact same spot. You just made some redundant content for stupid Instagram." And Albie responds with a half-hearted idea that even he doesn't buy into: "Throw away your phone. Throw it in the ocean." Notably, Portia continues to sit there and text on said phone, doing the literal opposite of throwing it in the ocean. Later in the episode, there's a scene with Daphne (Meghann Fahy) and Harper (Aubrey Plaza) that gets at this same idea in a different way. Read More Pro Tip: All the Best Stocking Stuffer Ideas Are from Amazon Move over, Santa. I got this. Read More 75 Unique Christmas Gift Ideas That Everyone on Your List Will Adore Move over, Santa; we got this. Read More Ariana Grande Takes Her Barbie Look to TikTok And Fans Think This is Her Best Hairstyle Yet "The perfect hair accessory doesn't exist," Ariana: 🎀 Read More Kate Middleton Wore a Rented Green Gown and Princess Diana's Jewels to the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards If there's any occasion to go all out... Read More The Cast of 'Emily in Paris' Did All Your Holiday Shopping for You Très chic! Read More Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection Cosmopolitan.com ©2022 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019