The philosophy of the car

It's a very encompassing thing to talk about the philosophy of the car, how it has affected culture, people, and the way we do things. But what I think is one of the most powerful aspects of the car is the freedom it gives us, in more ways than one. Yes, it allows us to go farther without having to resort to having to use trains with stinky people, or flying with people that take up too much of your own seat, but it also allows us to express ourselves in one of the most unique ways that America has ever seen.

The car didn't start in America (thank you Karl Benz for making the first gasoline car), but we definitely took the idea and ran with it. Over the past 125 years, we've taken the idea of a 3 or 4 wheeled frame and add an engine to it so we can sit back and enjoy the view.

Think of the vast array of cars available for personal use nowadays, we have the exotic, the sensible, and the quirky. All of them perform different functions, and allow people to express their individual personalities and preferences (it is a cute Caterham isn't it?).

I was talking once to my friend Megan about why men like cars, especially teenage boys. My response to her was that, well, what else do we have? I'm too young and poor to own a home, I can't play guitar that well, and I'm not talented at sports or video games. As a part of Generation Y, we are constantly looking for ways to personalize and customize things, similar to how your dog pees on trees to mark it's territory (15+ million people playing World of Warcraft, zillions of covers for cellphones and ipods).What better way to personalize something and make a statement about yourself than what car you drive? Granted we all can't afford our ideal car, so we find compromises, like sinking $2k into the wheels of some $1k 80-something Buick, or $5k into a rollcage and a limited-slip into a $2k early 90's Nissan and go out drifting. We do what we can!

Most women just don't get why us guys love cars. On the converse, most guys don't get why women care whether the bathroom is "prickly pear" or "light lime." It's all about personalizing what you find important in life, and what American icon screams freedom more than blaring your favorite song while flooring it down the freeway with the windows open?