5 ms·

I think there's another reason too we "ignore" car crashes: loose coupling with politics. Say a DUI driver kills a random family of 5. Is that going to make na

by umvi 4y ago

I think there's another reason too we "ignore" car crashes: loose coupling with politics. Say a DUI driver kills a random family of 5. Is that going to make national headlines? Probably not. Very little to be gained politically. It doesn't really enrage us because we love and celebrate alcohol too much to be capable of villainizing it like guns. So as a result, it doesn't spread very far on social media. Now say a raging incel shoots 5 people at a mall (2 die, 3 are injured). Is that going to make national headlines? You bet. It easily enrages at least half of us since guns are a wedge issue. Hence, it spreads like wildfire on social media. As it's spreading, it is further coupled to politics whenever people use the story to further political goals like mobilizing peers to go out and protest, drum up support for a preferred candidate, and more. You won't see a public reaction to car accidents similar to guns until the media decides either alcohol or cars are villains that need to be eradicated from society.

Willish42 4y ago
I think the car deaths vs. gun deaths asymmetry with representation in media can more reasonably be explained by how "terrifying" that news is to viewers, more likely to get web traffic and broadcast viewers, etc. Healthcare expenses is a similar political wedge-issue that causes tons of deaths (Medicare for all, etc.) and doesn't get nearly as much media coverage because it's less terrifying. You can see this even irrespective of how many deaths there are, like when there's a really big fire/explosion/storm that gets news coverage but casualties are zero or very low. Those are more likely to get coverage than a single car crash that killed more people
rootusrootus 4y ago
> It doesn't really enrage us because we love and celebrate alcohol too much to be capable of villainizing it like guns I hear a lot more ads on the radio informing me about all the ways a DUI will screw over my life, even if I don't kill anyone, but almost nothing about guns. Now, at a national level, sure, guns dominate. But I'd say the larger differentiating factor is intent. The killer on a shooting spree sparks terror in a way that a stupid drunk driver does not, even if the latter is more of a risk.
Bhilai 4y ago
Well, comparing guns and cars is just absurd. Many kinds of restrictions like age limits, requiring a driver license, requiring liability insurance, seat belt restrictions, speed limits, NHTA safety regulations that car manufacturers have to meet, speed traps by traffic police and so on... none of that exists for guns.
- S201 4y ago
  In all fairness: * Age limits: There is a similar age limit to buy a gun as there is to drive a car * Driver's license: Pretty much anyone with a pulse over the age of 16 can get a driver's license and it's nearly impossible to revoke permanently * Insurance: The legally required insurance limits in some states is so low that it's effectively useless
- cityofdelusion 4y ago
  Growing up, my state only had a multiple choice exam for a license. The age limit is the only _real_ restriction you listed. Everything else is just to keep the honest folks honest.
- barsonme 4y ago
  > none of that exists for guns. This is entirely untrue. In my state, for example, you must be at least 18 to purchase firearms generally and 21 to purchase handguns or semiautomatic rifles. Every sale has a mandatory criminal and medical background check. The transfer applications (state and ATF Form 4473) require listing your name, date of birth, address, declaration of citizenship, Social Security number, driver license number, etc. Firearms must be stored in "secure gun storage." They are not permitted on various types of school property or property being used by a school, public demonstrations, state capitol grounds, and so on. You can only discharge firearms in certain places. You must have a license to conceal one on your person. You cannot possess short-barreled shotguns or machine guns. You need special licensing for short-barreled rifles and suppressors. I'm excluding a bunch of stuff—mostly federal laws—but you get the point. Violating any of those laws is a gross misdemeanor or felony. Keep in mind I live in a state with relatively permissive firearms laws! The laws in plenty of other states are much more severe. Purchasing, owning, and operating a vehicle is much more easier than purchasing, owning, or operating firearms.
Schroedingersat 4y ago
This is just reframing the point of the article. Diffuse harms are ignored unless they're useful for pushing an agenda.
BitwiseFool 4y ago
>"until the media decides either alcohol or cars are villains that need to be eradicated from society. " I feel like this is in the process of happening right now. The number of car-critical and car-hostile posts has been increasing and the sentiment is gaining traction on "the left" lately. What is strongtowns if not one such publication?
- alaric410 4y ago
  Being car critical is more than just a safety issue. I moved from the US to Germany and exchanged commuting by car to commuting by bicycle. The positive impact on my quality of life is impossible to put into mere words. It's huge. Designing cities/towns where you don't need a car is one of the best things a society can do.

by umvi 4y ago

Willish42 4y ago

I think the car deaths vs. gun deaths asymmetry with representation in media can more reasonably be explained by how "terrifying" that news is to viewers, more likely to get web traffic and broadcast viewers, etc. Healthcare expenses is a similar political wedge-issue that causes tons of deaths (Medicare for all, etc.) and doesn't get nearly as much media coverage because it's less terrifying. You can see this even irrespective of how many deaths there are, like when there's a really big fire/explosion/storm that gets news coverage but casualties are zero or very low. Those are more likely to get coverage than a single car crash that killed more people

rootusrootus 4y ago

> It doesn't really enrage us because we love and celebrate alcohol too much to be capable of villainizing it like guns I hear a lot more ads on the radio informing me about all the ways a DUI will screw over my life, even if I don't kill anyone, but almost nothing about guns. Now, at a national level, sure, guns dominate. But I'd say the larger differentiating factor is intent. The killer on a shooting spree sparks terror in a way that a stupid drunk driver does not, even if the latter is more of a risk.

Bhilai 4y ago

Well, comparing guns and cars is just absurd. Many kinds of restrictions like age limits, requiring a driver license, requiring liability insurance, seat belt restrictions, speed limits, NHTA safety regulations that car manufacturers have to meet, speed traps by traffic police and so on... none of that exists for guns.

S201 4y ago
In all fairness: * Age limits: There is a similar age limit to buy a gun as there is to drive a car * Driver's license: Pretty much anyone with a pulse over the age of 16 can get a driver's license and it's nearly impossible to revoke permanently * Insurance: The legally required insurance limits in some states is so low that it's effectively useless
cityofdelusion 4y ago
Growing up, my state only had a multiple choice exam for a license. The age limit is the only _real_ restriction you listed. Everything else is just to keep the honest folks honest.
barsonme 4y ago
> none of that exists for guns. This is entirely untrue. In my state, for example, you must be at least 18 to purchase firearms generally and 21 to purchase handguns or semiautomatic rifles. Every sale has a mandatory criminal and medical background check. The transfer applications (state and ATF Form 4473) require listing your name, date of birth, address, declaration of citizenship, Social Security number, driver license number, etc. Firearms must be stored in "secure gun storage." They are not permitted on various types of school property or property being used by a school, public demonstrations, state capitol grounds, and so on. You can only discharge firearms in certain places. You must have a license to conceal one on your person. You cannot possess short-barreled shotguns or machine guns. You need special licensing for short-barreled rifles and suppressors. I'm excluding a bunch of stuff—mostly federal laws—but you get the point. Violating any of those laws is a gross misdemeanor or felony. Keep in mind I live in a state with relatively permissive firearms laws! The laws in plenty of other states are much more severe. Purchasing, owning, and operating a vehicle is much more easier than purchasing, owning, or operating firearms.

Schroedingersat 4y ago

This is just reframing the point of the article. Diffuse harms are ignored unless they're useful for pushing an agenda.

BitwiseFool 4y ago

>"until the media decides either alcohol or cars are villains that need to be eradicated from society. " I feel like this is in the process of happening right now. The number of car-critical and car-hostile posts has been increasing and the sentiment is gaining traction on "the left" lately. What is strongtowns if not one such publication?

alaric410 4y ago
Being car critical is more than just a safety issue. I moved from the US to Germany and exchanged commuting by car to commuting by bicycle. The positive impact on my quality of life is impossible to put into mere words. It's huge. Designing cities/towns where you don't need a car is one of the best things a society can do.