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This summer, I was having problems with my boss. I felt exploited and abused, like he was using his power to fuck me over just because he could.
On a road trip, I was stewing over the situation when a white car began trying to cut in front of me. We were on a congested highway and there was nowhere to go -- I was driving as fast as the traffic allowed -- but he wanted to be one car ahead. He finally plowed into my lane so that I could either break and let him in, or crash into him. He got in front of me.
Suddenly I was furious, and my whole body hated his guts. I wanted revenge. I spent the next 30 minutes trying to get ahead of other cars so that I could cut in front of HIM, determined to get back in front. The white car advanced, weaving and forcing his way in front of other people, and I tried to catch up.
Finally, I got in front of a white car, but then I wasn't sure if it was the same one. Then I realized -- what the hell is wrong with me??
I don't think you can understand the apparent selfishness of American drivers without understanding how many of us feel angry and frustrated and screwed over in our lives. The economy is tanking, consumers are hurting, and we don't feel like we are getting what we deserve. Nobody has job security. Our superiors do what they want with us, we work all the time, and we can't even pay for gas. Then when we see other people cutting in traffic and behaving like selfish douchebags, it all comes boiling to the surface, and we hate everyone else on the road.
None of this justifies selfish driving. But I think it's an oversimplification to say that we are just rich, entitled narcissists. Some people are carelessly joyriding, but for most drivers, I believe there is real anxiety and anger and frustration that is coming out in ways we can barely control. We don't drive how we live -- it's the opposite.
