I spent some of my sparse nondriving hours during our cross-country trip reading Matthew Crawford’s “Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road.”...
In this case Crawford is out to defend what he calls “homo moto,” the human being who moves purposively through the world rather than being simply carried through it, who uses a “car or a motorcycle as a kind of prosthetic that amplifies our embodied capacities,” who gains freedom, familiarity and mastery by navigating swiftly through a complex landscape.
I might have picked a different name for this phenomenon, though now that you mention it the phrase is evocative...
Yes, mastery gained by vehicle. Very familiar.
There's actually a good point buried towards the end of the review.
1 comment:
Human beings need movement and mobility. This is evidenced in very real ways. Babies who do not get sufficient movement- of their own and/or via others- do not develop as fully as those who do. Especially useful is movement through 3D space. When a dad tosses his child in the air, much to their delight, it's also helping that child's brain develop. All these things would suggest to me that we *require* movement, and our desire for it is hardwired in. I'm just spitballing off a few facts I know, but it all makes sense. Our adventurousness and cuiousity have served us well, on the whole, as a species.
Post a Comment