Sociological Imagination-Cars

In Sociology we have just started studying the sociological imagination. In class, we talked about cell phones and the impact they have on society and the rest of the world. So, I chose a different type of technology to analyze: cars.

Since the 1900's, cars have been a huge part of everyday life for most people not just in the United States, but around the world. Cars are used every day for the convenience of transportation. Instead of walking, jogging, or biking somewhere, we have adapted to using the cars as well as other vehicles as our main transportation system. Most anyone in society is affected by the use of cars today, from parents to college professors to teenagers. Most of the time, we benefit from having a car or a type of transportation to get us somewhere more quickly. Other times though, it can be harmful to society. The way cars are built right now, most give off many pollutants when they run, because they are run on gasoline. Many times, this quick type of transportation will make our society lazy. Instead of walking two blocks to get somewhere, lots of people will drive. This reduces our amount of excercise, and if practiced enough, might contribute to some of the obesity in our world.
Of course, cars don't only exist in the United States, but everywhere around the world. Most of the time, cars are made generally the same way as in the United States. Some may consider the car producing business as a connection to the rest of the world. Many of the cars we drive in the United States come from Asia or Europe. Also, when there are more car making companies in the world, there is better competition for every country that makes them, which can contribute to a healthier society.
The first car ever made with an engine was in 1806 by the Swiss inventor, Francois Isaac de Rivaz, although the car did not become popular until the 1900's in America with Ford's famous Model T. Ford's car made headway during the Industrial Revolution during the turn of the century, and America as well as the rest of the world has since been hooked on cars. Of course, the car has had some changes over time, but society's attitude toward it hasn't changed a lot.
Many times, which kind of car a person has determines a part of their status in society. If someone has a Mercedes with all the new technological advances added to it, one might assume that they are part of the upper class or are very wealthy. If someone has a twenty year old used car, society may consider them lower class or not wealthy.
So, what exactly is the sociological imagination of cars in our society? In some cases, cars can tell what kind of economic class you are in. They also have improved our transportation and make getting places more convenient for us, but at the same time can make people less willing to use any other source of transportation, such as walking and biking. These factors make cars a huge part of our society.