Carbarism

Welcome to the Carbarism Project

Technology is never neutral with respect to society. Its contribution to civilization can just as easily be negative as positive. Any technology should to be introduced into the wild (so to speak) in a way that ensures that civilization is advanced along with technical progress.

Thus, I offer the concept of ‘carbarism’. Carbarism is a combination of the terms 'car' and 'barbarism'; the phrase is not meant to be a blanket epithet but a rubric for identifying social and economic applications of the automobile that could be said to be 'barbaric’ and hence to be avoided. And also to identify applications of the automobile that take advantage of its useful aspects in such a way as to make overall society better. The automobile thus far has been both social advancer and destroyer but it is not too late to begin to civilize the automobile.

Some of this civilizing process involves undoing, slowly, design and institutional mistakes of the past. Some of this involves progressing technological advancement of automobility in a way different from that of the past. But whatever moves may be made – and a few ideas will be offered below – the advance of civilization in a broad sense and the avoidance of barbaric uses of the car (carbarism) should be kept front and centre.

This project has been established to track and develop both civilized and uncivilized uses of the automobile in present society and propose and discuss ideas to reduce 'carbarism' going forward.

Looking forward to a great conversation.

Dr. Cameron Gordon

Founder and Principal

The Carbarism Project

cameron.gordon@carbarism.org