Cars give a competitive advantage over other people. The social signalling alone more than pays for it, and the signalling value pales in comparison to the instrumental value. Some people prefer to be the change they want to see, but abstaining from having access to a car is like burning half of your money to help the government slow down inflation.
I mostly disagree with the social signalling framing, but granting the frame it still seems to me that foregoing a car would improve your social standing (if you’re the sort of person running in social circles where people broadly disapprove of cars and care about the environment). This is much like how vegetarianism/veganism is a stronger social signal than donating to charities fighting factory farming; the personal sacrifice speaks of personal virtue, which then confers social standing regardless of any consequentialist altruistic benefits.
I agree that it depends on the environment, and that with some people it will work differently than others. I’m accustomed to a more conservative job-seeking culture in DC.
I mostly disagree with the social signalling framing, but granting the frame it still seems to me that foregoing a car would improve your social standing (if you’re the sort of person running in social circles where people broadly disapprove of cars and care about the environment). This is much like how vegetarianism/veganism is a stronger social signal than donating to charities fighting factory farming; the personal sacrifice speaks of personal virtue, which then confers social standing regardless of any consequentialist altruistic benefits.
I agree that it depends on the environment, and that with some people it will work differently than others. I’m accustomed to a more conservative job-seeking culture in DC.