Of course they are seen as the mark of a succesful person...because they are the mark of a successful person. Cars are expensive! And yes, they are convenient,

Of course they are seen as the mark of a succesful person...because they are the mark of a successful person. Cars are expensive! And yes, they are convenient, comfortable and can be time efficient, but with extraordinary negative externalities. The issue isn't "cars are inconvenient"--the issue is "cars have enormous (and compounding) negative externalities that need to be regulated away, and investment needs to be made in alternative infrastructure because cars really suck for everyone else--and eventually, for car owners themselves."