Carbon Trace

The final chapter of David Owens’ Green Metropolis describes some aspects of urban life in China today. One thing I found particularly interesting: According to his observations, the Chinese have an interesting sense of right-of-way. Or, rather, not much sense of it at all (that is in the American sense of it).

Owens says traffic is often a free-for-all of individual drivers pushing for position and advantage. Related to this, he says the Chinese are perfectly comfortable with line-jumping.

I think I’m stating the obvious when I claim: This would drive Americans bonkers.

We Americans have a cultural disposition toward what I’ll call systemic literacy. In other words: 1) We want to know what the rules are, 2) We want to follow them, and 3) We think others should follow them.

But…

We American have a cultural disposition toward rugged individualism. When the situation calls for it, we’re perfectly happy to bend or break the rules. We feel individually justified, although we often condemn the same behavior in others.

I know. What I just described sounds a lot like kindergarten.

Now add the automobile and shake vigorously.

One of the sources of animosity toward bicyclists for some drivers is their unwillingness to yield right-of-way to bicyclists (although they are often forced by circumstances to yield, which, then, apparently causes a spike in blood pressure). I imagine it offends some sense of entitlement they have as operators of the bigger machine. This may be analogous to the bigger kid in the kindergarten sandbox deciding that the toy the smaller kid has should be yielded — now rather than later. The bigger kid knows the rules — even respects them in many cases — but can’t help letting his inner rugged individualist run wild when advantage shows itself.

Resistance to such temptations being, I think, a sure sign of maturity in individuals and cultures.

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