University of Virginia Library

Absurdity

Chapter VII would cite the
aesthetic absurdity of cars — the
annual "restyling" that has little to
do with their function but nearly
everything to do with their price
and with the fact that car design —
as opposed to art or music —
suffices for much of the aesthetic
life of the common man. Who
indeed has not seen people
enraptured over the "look" of the
"new car" and debating long and
loudly that Car A is "more
handsome" than Car B?

Chapter VIII would discuss the
enormous cost of auto
transportation: the purchase price,
which is a large chunk of a year's
salary (depending of course on the
car's size, "styling" and name), and
the cost-per-mile, which is far in
excess of mass transportation.

Chapter IX, perhaps the most
telling, would show how foolish a
car is as an investment. The
prudent rule of spending is that the
value of a good where bought will
always be greater at least never
lesser than when disposed of. Food,
unfortunately, cannot fit this
category. But houses (when bought,
not rented), land, jewelry, horses,
etc. are all investment
consumption. So is furniture when
antique. Clothing is not, but the
value drop may of course be
retarded if the clothes are classic.
(One is reminded of a famous
comment by millionairess Mrs.
Winston Guest who remarked that
one of her favorite suits, a simple
tweed, was I think, a dozen years
old. One thinks also of the
consumption patterns of many -
especially rural — rich: large homes,
lots of antiques but often small and
old cars. Food is a pardonable
no-investment expense; big and new
cars are not.

The conclusion, of course,
would be a plea for putting the car
in its place — for thinking of it as a
costly box with wheels that, alas,
must be used when mass
transportation is not available.
Logically following would be an
appeal to proceed with all
deliberate speed with mass
transportation — with heavily
subsidized mass transportation and
taxes on autos where such
transportation is working well.