I think it's worth lingering on the analogy of driving, and digging in a bit deeper. Setting aside the extreme cases of negligent drivers actually killing people, just consider how often otherwise non-violent, non-aggressive people are highly prone to road rage and aggressive driving when they get inside of these machines (I suspect all drivers have been there at some point or other). There are strong arguments to be made that when we get inside of these private-public machines/spaces as drivers, we 'fuse' with them to become some sort of hybrid creature which no longer behaves like a socially-aware human walking through a busy public space. Rather, in our vehicles, we become weaponized cyborgs, disconnected/insulated from other drivers (and non-hybrids, such as pedestrians), and--working within the communication constraints of this form--find ways to communicate our identities & views of the world via snarky bumper stickers (tweets?) and symbols/gestures (emojis?). Sound familiar?
I would suggest that it's worth considering that trying to promote pro-social behavior online is closer to promoting pro-social behavior with drivers on a busy inner-city road than it is to doing so in a public park or library filled with strangers interacting face-to-face (in a looser, quieter environment). Laws, speed limit signs, road safety campaigns, and good drivers may alleviate some of the worst manifestations of aggressive driving, disconnection, and insularity, but the effects of human-car hybridization seem to fundamentally override the humanity of drivers in many cases. To be sure, there are considerate, good drivers out there... but how much of the non-aggressive behavior on the road is due to self-preservation vs altruism?
How can we better humanize the driving experience and encourage pro-social behavior on the road? Some might suggest by fostering carpooling communities & public transportation (community-driven norms?), increased biking & walking (alternative mediums?), or, ironically, self-driving cars (algorithmic moderation?), but I suspect that many people are far too attached to their individualized vehicles as an extension of their identities/lives to let the thrill and personalized sanctity of them go anytime soon...
Anyway, this topic is far too multifaceted for me to unpack here properly right now. For anyone who is interested in contemplating these areas more deeply, I maintain a collection on Are.na about automobility: https://www.are.na/sean/auto-bodies
I think it's worth lingering on the analogy of driving, and digging in a bit deeper. Setting aside the extreme cases of negligent drivers actually killing people, just consider how often otherwise non-violent, non-aggressive people are highly prone to road rage and aggressive driving when they get inside of these machines (I suspect all drivers have been there at some point or other). There are strong arguments to be made that when we get inside of these private-public machines/spaces as drivers, we 'fuse' with them to become some sort of hybrid creature which no longer behaves like a socially-aware human walking through a busy public space. Rather, in our vehicles, we become weaponized cyborgs, disconnected/insulated from other drivers (and non-hybrids, such as pedestrians), and--working within the communication constraints of this form--find ways to communicate our identities & views of the world via snarky bumper stickers (tweets?) and symbols/gestures (emojis?). Sound familiar?
I would suggest that it's worth considering that trying to promote pro-social behavior online is closer to promoting pro-social behavior with drivers on a busy inner-city road than it is to doing so in a public park or library filled with strangers interacting face-to-face (in a looser, quieter environment). Laws, speed limit signs, road safety campaigns, and good drivers may alleviate some of the worst manifestations of aggressive driving, disconnection, and insularity, but the effects of human-car hybridization seem to fundamentally override the humanity of drivers in many cases. To be sure, there are considerate, good drivers out there... but how much of the non-aggressive behavior on the road is due to self-preservation vs altruism?
How can we better humanize the driving experience and encourage pro-social behavior on the road? Some might suggest by fostering carpooling communities & public transportation (community-driven norms?), increased biking & walking (alternative mediums?), or, ironically, self-driving cars (algorithmic moderation?), but I suspect that many people are far too attached to their individualized vehicles as an extension of their identities/lives to let the thrill and personalized sanctity of them go anytime soon...
Anyway, this topic is far too multifaceted for me to unpack here properly right now. For anyone who is interested in contemplating these areas more deeply, I maintain a collection on Are.na about automobility: https://www.are.na/sean/auto-bodies