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> a large portion Would it not be a small portion? This is a VERY expensive way to get on that podium. There are far cheaper and even “higher value virtues” to
by CraigJPerry 4y ago
> a large portion
Would it not be a small portion? This is a VERY expensive way to get on that podium. There are far cheaper and even “higher value virtues” to signal.
For example, a person might choose to tell you at every opportunity how they don’t have a car at all never mind an EV and prefer bicycles or public transport. Such a person may actively elevate their scorn for the EV subclass of vehicles because of mining actions necessary for their manufacture. I’d say that’s more likely a source of virtue signalling - you only need to give up convenience (do-able for someone who invests their identity in a “virtuous” cause). Purchasing an ev generally requires you to be attracting enough dollars each month first.
I think i see a different type of person in larger numbers buying pure EVs - status symbol seekers. Rightly or wrongly in many societies there’s a view that the number of dollars you can cause to flow in your direction signals how good or useful a person you are. A marketing associate buying a big status symbol EV that’s out of reach of a carpenter is an effective statement of how much better that person is than someone else, in their mind. And yet, the carpenter is plainly the better contributor to life at a 1st order pass anyway.
- seanmcdirmid 4y ago> I think i see a different type of person in larger numbers buying pure EVs - status symbol seekers. Most people buying EVs right now simply like the driving experience. Right or wrong, having all that acceleration at your foot is nice, and one pedal driving is also cool. There isn't much status to it, since Teslas are a dime a dozen these days. The driving experience of an EV is simply 10X better than an ICE. Environmentally speaking, EVs are slightly better because they don't pollute as much, and don't need refined oil products to run, but they still cause congestion, even more so since they are more fun to drive (I didn't drive my gas powered car as much as my new EV, which is probably an environmental step back).
- CraigJPerry 4y ago>> Right or wrong, having all that acceleration Right, definitely right. Acceleration trumps speed for fun always. There’s definitely a ton of reasons people buy EVs. I’m just offering what i think is a more realistic dumb reason than the virtue signalling the GP proposed
- seanmcdirmid 4y agoIsn't accelerating really quickly from 0 to 25 when the light turns green a form of virtue signaling? You aren't going fast, but you are definitely giving those ICE drivers a signal of some kind. Well, maybe that isn't a virtue.
- CraigJPerry 4y agoYeah that’s back to the showing off/ status symbol thing. Maybe some fellow car enthusiasts would share a view that’s a virtuous command of the tarmac.
- _hypx 4y agoYou can get the same thing with a ICE car with a big engine. There's something specific about wanting way more power than you need but demanding that it happens silently.
- seanmcdirmid 4y agoYou can get that with an ICE with a big engine, maybe in an actual sports car rather than just a nice comfortable sedan. It depends on what trade offs you want to make in your life.
- _hypx 4y agoNot really. Many of these cars are on lease, or bought on loans. Many people can pencil in the cost numbers and can afford it. Spending way too much money on a car is a classic American tradition.
- CraigJPerry 4y agoYou’re not looking at it from a status symbol seekers preferred view. They’re projecting an image they want you to be impressed by. They wouldn’t consider that you’d just assume it’s leased. You’d be dazzled by their superiority. in their mind. Anyway, if it weren’t like this, you’d be able to lease the same fancy EV as them instead of just the ICE version of the car - again in their mind.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]