[defrost]

Not all people are US families though.

Many single people exist who shop using a backpack, in the peer comments there is an example of a Japanese small car of the year that suits people of a different country.

Big cars are a US lifestyle choice.

[elzbardico]

World-wide car sales 2023: Around 70 millions Cars sold in the US in 2022: Around 13 millions.

Even if you are talking only about Light Trucks and SUVs as an exclusively American choice, most customers in the BRICs and the most affluent developing countries now prefer a SUV if they can afford one. The only reason light-trucks and SUVs don't outsell light cars in those countries as much as in the USA is the income differential.

Cars per-capita? Well, the US has more cars per-capita than almost anyone, but not by a so big factor, it only has 2x the number of cars per-capita then, let's say, Brazil.

So, no, for what is worth, people seem to prefer to have a personal car as soon as they can afford one, and as soon as their income increases they also seem to have the same american stupid desire for trucks and SUVs.

[philwelch]

Single adults without children aren’t a sustainable social norm.

[defrost]

Nor is a continuously expanding human population.

Nonetheless, large families throughout time and space have somehow managed to survive without a yank tank, this suggests that while they may be desirable they are hardly neccessary.

[philwelch]

They’ve also managed to survive without running water or antibiotics. And if you’re really worried about overpopulation, we could go a step further and eliminate the entire practice of medicine. Large families went without modern medicine for thousands of years, plus then we wouldn’t need to worry about maintaining road infrastructure for ambulances.