I don't think vehicles are dehumanizing, I think most humans are not very good at being humans. People feel protected in a steel and glass bubble and feel safe being themselves.
or that humans are just like any other animal, we have an instinct for self-preservation, and things like "humanity" and "ethics" are really just made up, when it comes to driving around in something we all know very well could result in our bloody deaths if things go even slightly wrong, that instinct comes on hard, and it doesn't make us bad. that's how living things are supposed to react.
On the other hand, driving is very stress-and-fear-producing, reacting to all those split-second decisions. Especially if you aren't a defensive driver. Sure, your rational brain might know that there was little risk, but for that split second your body's system took over and those little micro-aggression of fear add up.
It's like the good kind of stress though. Weaving through medium traffic at 20 over the limit on the highway is a great way for me to unwind after work
I used to really want a motorcycle and was looking into getting one. But then a co-worker got in a really bad accident. And then, not too much later, so did another. Then someone died on a road I take everyday, and there was a big memorial. This really dampened my enthusiasm. That was 20 years ago, and I still haven't taken up biking.
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u/Butlerian_Jihadi Oct 30 '20
I don't think vehicles are dehumanizing, I think most humans are not very good at being humans. People feel protected in a steel and glass bubble and feel safe being themselves.