Psy-ops built car culture

I don’t care if you own a car, SUV, minivan, pickup truck, private jet, or one of each. This essay isn’t a judgment on consumerism. It’s about how the forces shaping our automotive obsession ripple into land use policy, infrastructure funding, government subsidies, and every facet of urbanism.

Once upon a time, did Americans flock to dealerships out of pure need—or were they herded by subversive forces? Was it free will or predestination?

The automobile’s rise was a master...