I currently live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in Portland Oregon (ory-gun). A city where love and concern of the environment has been woven into it's fabric since... forever.
It's all quite well-intentioned, lovely and motivating. And it works, sort of.
That is until it snows, (once a year, maybe twice) and the roads don't get salted because it's not good for the salmon. It's also not good for business as colleagues start to head home at the first sign of, mention of, the possiblity that, something might, freeze. The driving frenzy that occurs if in fact this event does happen is catastrophic. But because they are saving the planet, it's futile to argue with the virtues of salting the roads.
Saving the planet becomes a sort of unspoken caste system in this friendly city. Modes of transportation becomes a Maslow's heirarchy of needs. Those driving gasoline powered cars at the bottom of the pyramid, satisfying the most primative of human needs. At the top, the bike riders, who have achieved self-actualization, nirvana. Please don't mistake this elevated position for well-behaved, law abiding, calm, respectful or skilled. They're at the top, because, they're not using gas.
And in the middle, Prius Drivers. They consider themselves just one step below bikes. They have become larger, more aggressive, gas saving, hybrid version mash-ups of the physical car and the mentality of a bike rider. In a word, beware all you drivers of regular, gas-guzzling vehicles. You will be taught a driving lesson by the hybrid drivers that has nothing to do with driving ability.
Welcome to Portland, and recognize where on the pyramid you reside!
Yipes, the gas-guzzlers may fuel their last if they end up there somehow. Yet the levels of esteem tagged with the manner of transportation is an exciting and interesting prospect to study.
Posted by: Naomi Champy | 12 August 2011 at 12:51
It's so fun to learn about different cultures.
Posted by: Christina | 30 January 2011 at 13:38