An Analysis of the Rise of the Automobile in Popular Culture

The automobile has long been an icon. Not just as a reliable means of transportation beyond walking, but the image of a great mind on the big screen. There are numerous cases Iike the Batmobile and Knight Rider, where the vehicle has a flashy appearance with many gadgets used by the drivers to stop the schemes of the antagonists. Though there is one other science fiction vehicle that may not garner as much attention, the DeLorean DMC-12 time machine from Back to the Future. When asked by Marty McFly about his intentions, Doc Brown responds, "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" It could be a way of saying that the time machine could have been built into any other device, but Doc Brown chose an automobile, a very stylish and fast one at that.

In the above quote, he emphasizes the word "style," which means that a concept as incredible as travelling through time deserves an equally incredible vehicle. And of those available for the general public, a sports car was certainly a luxury because of its sleek appearance and high-powered engine. In the sport of motor racing, it's a combination of speed and driving style that wins the race, and whichever vehicle can be guided to the finish line is one that enthusiasts will be interested in. Each car has its fans, but for those who are conscious about their image and want only the best, a vehicle like a DeLorean would have been on their radar. And appearing in a very successful franchise to become an icon that would be auctioned off for roughly $541,000 shows that making your movie's plot device center around a shiny, pumped up automobile can generate more than revenue and advertising for your product. Taking a step into another medium, music is a very popular way for people to spread euphemisms and allegories about whatever subject they want to speak about, however indirectly.

One such case, the opener to The Beatles' Rubber Soul album, "Drive My Car" The lyrics present a simple story of a woman hiring a man to be her chauffeur, the twist being that she doesn't have a car but she's "gota driver and that's a start." The car is more of a symbol in this song than what the songwriters put down in a narrative. Aside from technology, what is the other aspect of life that most people in society cannot get enough of? That's right, sex. Songs like this would be the songwriter(s)'s chance to list their sexual frustrations and either get sympathy or get similar reactions out of people in the same situation. Though the general public wants to maintain a somewhat chaste image, speaking outright about sex might not be ideal. You get to put out your frustrations and few people will suspect your true intentions when they first hear it.

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On top of that, people find the song to be upbeat and have a very nice rhythm, which they may pay more attention to rather than look for hidden meanings within the lyrics. So covering it up by talking about the perks of knowing how to operate a vehicle to be someone's chauffeur sounds like a solid alternative. It was one of the many outlets that told the youth, if you know how to operate a car or have a fancy one of your own, people will flock to you, especially you boys! So again, the automobile was not just a way to enhance a person's way of life, it was a symbol of wealth and, to the youth, coolness. And when image is concerned, people might want only the best and for a long time, and in many ways, that can still be reflected in an automobile.

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