
Los Angeles, the Automobile, and Mexican American Life - benbreen
https://boomcalifornia.com/2019/05/23/los-angeles-the-automobile-and-mexican-american-life/
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RickJWagner
To past generations of Americans, cars represented freedom. Cars transcended
race, bringing together car-lovers of all kinds in various ways. (Go to a car
show and see.) This can even be seen in the movie 'Cars', one of my favorite
movies.

But I think those days are passing. Today's teens don't have the same
interest, at least not in huge numbers. I hope something similar takes the
place cars have had in American culture.

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lqet
> I hope something similar takes the place cars have had in American culture.

I have a feeling this has already happened: as you have mentioned, the car
originally promised the freedom to "see the world", get in contact with others
and was/is also a status symbol. One thing that - arguably - promises all of
that and is in my experience one of the most important status symbol for
people below 25 is the smartphone. It also transcends race, religion and
social status and also seems to address the desire to be "someone else", just
like the car. The difference is that with a car, you get a new identity made
out of metal, while with a smartphone, you can create all sorts of fake online
identities.

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bluGill
In 25 years or so a new generation will come along. I wonder what they will
replace the smartphone with.

Which is to say this has been a constant in history. The details are different
of course, as is the time between generations.

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gyrgtyn
A real meeting of the minds in this here comment section

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joshuaheard
Cars are racist? Drivel. Los Angeles and the automobile certainly have an
interesting and complex history, but not as an instrument of oppression. Just
the opposite. Cars have given everyone more freedom than ever.

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thatfrenchguy
Freedom to have a crushing credit to pay for your car, to pay for gas &
insurance, to make cities unwalkable leading you to have to have a car, and
last but not least freedom to destroy the planet at the same time !

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Marxian_Hunter
You can buy a car without crushing credit. Gas and insurance aren't that
expensive in America. Cities can remain walkable and drivable at the same time
(see: Chicago). And electric vehicles are improving on environmental concerns
at a fantastic rate.

Please don't justify this garbage blog post.

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electricEmu
I’m writing from a bus and found giving my car up to be great for my
pocketbook. Gas was more expensive for affordable vehicles and efficient
vehicles were still pricy.

It’s a pain to park, doesn’t necessarily move faster than public transit, and
is one of the largest safety concerns to city dwellers.

The blog post can’t be written-off by stating “Chicago”.

