• SkepticalButOpenMinded
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    1 year ago

    I mean, a part of me would sooner say “yes, they are both needlessly dangerous and costly to society, which is why a society structured around needing and allowing either mass guns or cars is stupid.”

    • Pratai
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      1 year ago

      Cars are necessary despite what a bunch of people in Reddit forums think.

      • SkepticalButOpenMinded
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        1 year ago

        The US has more car deaths than anywhere else in the world, by far. Like guns, it’s a real “This is not preventable, says only country where this happens” vibe.

        Some cars will always be necessary. The crazy delusional obsession with car dependence that happens literally nowhere else in the world is not necessary.

        • Pratai
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          1 year ago

          Not going to argue with you about it.

          • SkepticalButOpenMinded
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            1 year ago

            Very similar to a gun advocate. It’s what you’re used to and you’ve already made up your mind, actual arguments or evidence be damned.

            • Pratai
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              1 year ago

              Not even remotely close. I just don’t exercise futility in pointless debates. You’re just as likely to refuse reason as you accuse me of- so it’s pointless.

              Move on.

              • SkepticalButOpenMinded
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                1 year ago

                Based on what? I’ve given actual arguments and you haven’t. What a bad faith response.

                My claim is modest: there are easily preventable harms to both widespread use of guns and cars, evidenced by the fact that the US is a HUGE outlier in both.

                • mapiki@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  Agreed.

                  If anyone wants to further argue, note the issue is that we’ve built a country where cars are necessary. (And yet not so necessary that someone’s license can’t be suspended!) However, there is no reason why this can’t be changed. Saying it can’t is limiting our future to also think cars are necessary. They aren’t. They are useful in many places. But you could do without them if as a society we decided to do that. Dream bigger everyone! Have a world where you DON’T need to sit in traffic every day. Where you DON’T wait at red light after red light. Where you DON’T need to be a designated driver for your friends. Where you DON’T fear the day your vision gets so bad you lose your independence. Where you DON’T need to spend hundreds on insurance and car purchases and parking tickets and everything else. If we don’t dream it, we can’t ask for it. And if we don’t ask for it, what we have now will be what we’re stuck with.

                  (And if you want to have a car and have fun - sure! But then it’ll be extra fun when it’s not a requirement and fewer cars are on the road!)