My favorite is when someone has some minor road dispute that cost them maybe a couple of seconds in drive time, and they follow you to catch up with you and scream at you about it....almost as if they weren't actually on their way to go fucking do anything.
It's the same phenomenon of de-socialization that was radically accelerated during peak Covid that has led to everything from a 1000% increase in unruly passengers on airlines, to a drastic decrease in relationships and dating, to a whole host of people just checking out from the social contract and embracing ludicrous conspiracy theories and retreating to online safe-spaces where any crazy thought will be validated and praised.
As a species we were not meant to have constant exposure to millions of people's innermost thoughts and feelings and unrestrained impulsive ideas. It fucks with your head. Combine that with the economic incentive of keeping people in one spot, scrolling their attention-span to sawdust, and you are training an entire generation of people to turn off their inner monologues and to stop thinking entirely, just seeking validation and things to click on.
I feel strongly that AI ruining the internet will be a net-positive, as it's going to drive more people to human spaces to connect with each other. Sure there will be a whole segment of people raised in the AI slop of the next decade, but there will also be a subset of people who want more and create their own spaces with other real humans.
I think people all just hate each other more now. Generally stress makes little aggressions feel more extreme and the world is in fact falling apart at the seams.
Plus scientific studies have shown people with more bumper stickers were more violent and more likely to commit road rage seeing the car as an extension of themselves and interactions with the car as attacks on personal self and people are much more aware of "personal space" than before covid probably upping the sense of the car being an extension for more people.
In all seriousness, what the hell is up with the psychology of drivers? So much road rage, nastiness, and utter contempt for everything around their metal box of death on wheels.
In the US at least, Trump has validated half the country to express naked contempt for anyone they deem "other." This includes: any person of color, any woman, anyone younger than them, anyone that "looks" educated, anyone walking, anyone on a bicycle, and anyone in an electric car, among others.
I love that you worked a Trump reference into this but I’ve seen this sort of terrible behaviour from drivers since I was a kid (I’m 40). It’s also not unique to North America, nor even the West (seen the same thing in China).
No, it’s something about cars that creates a disconnect between us and other people. It’s like people outside the car’s windows are TV characters, not real people.
Not excusing the behaviour but I'd bet it's the amount of traffic people often sit through everyday along with the overall pace of life feeling faster.
I'm lucky to work weird hours where traffic is almost zero, but personally, sitting in hours of traffic everyday to and from work would make me want to pull my hair out.
Theory 3: Trump and other authoritarian world leaders/parties/orgs has validated unmitigated rage and contempt towards almost anyone for almost any reason.
Go to any Instagram comment section about something to do with bikes, and every other comment is some blood thirsty version of "I get hard when I run over bikers".
I have a friend who is super car focused. Where she lives, there is a bridge where people often cross the road, and they painted the road with some blue waves, to showcase that. I often drive whe. She's with me, because she drives like a maniac. Anyway, people were crossing the road and i waited. She told me that cars have the right of way here and i could just go. I just gave her a look and then drove off when people were done, like 5 seconds later.
The next time a few weeks later, she said the same thing and i told her: I don't care how often you tell me that, i'm not gonna run over people to save 5 seconds.
She told me that she would usually just honk or rev up her engine, or "pretend to run people over" it's so weird to me what they get out of that behaviour
Your friend is a fucking psychopath and I can’t imagine how you’re still friends with them. I know it’s only one thing we’re seeing from your comment but I don’t think there’s much one can do to redeem “doesn’t have the barest consideration for strangers or their lives”.
"Pretending to run people over" is a crime lol. At least in the States. That's textbook assault (making someone fear bodily harm), and arguably reckless driving or endangerment.
What is it about cars that make people into psychopaths? Or does it just bring out these things in already bad people?