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by nexuist 2564 days ago
I bet if HN existed in 1890, this would absolutely be a comment on the thread "Introducing the Automobile."

The truth is almost every mode of transport is selfish. It's always selfish, until everyone starts using it, at which point it's revolutionary.

1 comments

If they tried to introduce cars now, there is no way they would get through. Because they are truly ridiculous and horrible. A million deaths around the world directly, and another million due to pollution? Imagine trying to convince everyone that was a good idea.
Compared to walking dozens of miles everywhere? Remember that the only existing modes of transportation were bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. The car absolutely needed to happen to aid our progress as a civilization.

Everything looks bad in hindsight right? But it is the car that enabled the progression that makes the car impractical.