Sociology Of Cars
Sociology of Cars
No invention has had a greater impact on our culture than the automobile. In the nineteenth century, people were generally isolated from one another. The advent of the car gave them freedom, allowing people to explore the world beyond their neighborhoods. Many new jobs were created as a result of the automobile industry. In the 1920s, declining prices and a new system of "buying on credit" allowed more people than ever before to own a car.
When the first automobiles were invented in the 1890s, they were expensive toys for the rich. The average person could not afford to purchase one. Henry Ford began mass producing his Model T in the 1910s. By 1921, the price had dropped from $825 to $310. By the end of the 1920s, 80 percent of American families owned a car. The automobile drastically reshaped American culture. The entire country opened up as people began taking road trips. Before the car, most people did not stray more than a couple of miles from home. Gas stations, motels and roadside restaurants sprang up …show more content…
The size of the car and the speed at which it travelled significantly increased the risk of road accidents. Cars made crimes like kidnapping and robberies much easier. The manufacturing of cars requires a wide range of materials which causes a severe depletion of resources and the factories pollute the environment (through air, water, sound, etc.). Cars release pollutants like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, lead etc which are not only harmful for humans but also cause environmental problems like ozone layer depletion. The usage of cars requires specific environment like roads, highways so that led to the degradation of landscape. The preference of cars over walking has decreased social interactions. A Socialist Graves Brown argues that "Many people in developed countries do not even know their neighbors and rarely walk unless they place a high value on
No invention has had a greater impact on our culture than the automobile. In the nineteenth century, people were generally isolated from one another. The advent of the car gave them freedom, allowing people to explore the world beyond their neighborhoods. Many new jobs were created as a result of the automobile industry. In the 1920s, declining prices and a new system of "buying on credit" allowed more people than ever before to own a car.
When the first automobiles were invented in the 1890s, they were expensive toys for the rich. The average person could not afford to purchase one. Henry Ford began mass producing his Model T in the 1910s. By 1921, the price had dropped from $825 to $310. By the end of the 1920s, 80 percent of American families owned a car. The automobile drastically reshaped American culture. The entire country opened up as people began taking road trips. Before the car, most people did not stray more than a couple of miles from home. Gas stations, motels and roadside restaurants sprang up …show more content…
The size of the car and the speed at which it travelled significantly increased the risk of road accidents. Cars made crimes like kidnapping and robberies much easier. The manufacturing of cars requires a wide range of materials which causes a severe depletion of resources and the factories pollute the environment (through air, water, sound, etc.). Cars release pollutants like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, lead etc which are not only harmful for humans but also cause environmental problems like ozone layer depletion. The usage of cars requires specific environment like roads, highways so that led to the degradation of landscape. The preference of cars over walking has decreased social interactions. A Socialist Graves Brown argues that "Many people in developed countries do not even know their neighbors and rarely walk unless they place a high value on