You will prepare and submit a term paper on The Car: Icon, Symbol, and a Central Feature of Contemporary Visual Culture. Your paper should be a minimum of 2000 words in length. Additionally, look of the car is also important in a certain culture, and colours such as green, pink, and blue, have been used in the American culture. On the other hand, economic aspect, such as the availability of land for manufacturing, assembling, and car parking facility, has also been an important consideration for countries like Japan.
In the following parts of this paper, first car culture history has been provided in which the use of cars as a symbol of the upper class has been discussed. It is followed by figure 01 and 02 representing the American cars that have been used as their part of the culture. Subsequently, figure 03 highlights the car culture in Japan. Before the conclusion part, a critical analysis of both car cultures has been included.
The automobile manufacturing and use of cars came to America in the late 19th century during the time of economic crisis. and the emergence of class conflict was widespread in which the use of cars was a predominantly class symbol and was a fundamental base for the class conflict as well.1 In this condition, the class conflict was mainly infuriated by the higher prices of automobiles (i.e. $600 to $7500) in which the aesthetic exterior of these automobiles remained an important mechanical dimension. additionally, expensive and shinning automobiles were mainly used for public ostentation and for the leisure activities.2 This description clearly proves that the use of automobiles as symbolism or a part of the elite culture was common in the United States and this cultural difference drew a line between two social classes: upper class and lower class.3
Based on this information, it can also be contended that the upper class did not respect the values, traditions, and customs which were an inherent part of the lower class culture. On the other hand, the same sort of treatment and attitude was shown by the lower class towards the values common in the upper class.