History shows us that human nature tends to be self destructive. Countless wars, tyrannical oppression, economic inequality, the list goes on and on. Our self destructive habits are now trickling down into the little things that we do on a daily basis. Self obsession abounds with the onslaught of credit card debt, drug abuse, and a myriad of other addictions, both substance and media related.
A prime example of self destructive behavior, most prevalent in the United States and Great Britain, is obesity. The number of obese adults and children alike are rising every year at a startling rate. Of course there are people out there that suffer from obesity because of a medical or genetic condition but the majority are self inflicted. It seems that the automotive industry has moved to support obesity by making their cars bigger.
According to a Motor Trend blog post, the typical family sedan has grown a foot in width over the past fifty years. Clearly, the waist sizes of the operators have done the same. Other examples come from BMW and Honda. Honda has increased the width of their seats over the years and BMW is working on a plan for their British cars called “Plump My Ride”. Other brands are strengthening interior grab handles, adding power steering columns that move out of the way when the car powers down, and making buttons easier to use for those with “sausage fingers”.
Depending on your genetics and circumstances, being obese could be considered a lifestyle choice. One that many would argue mimics the self destructive tendencies of human nature. I for one am against supporting these behaviors by developing consumer products around them. What’s next? Hover sleds to transport you from car to couch?
Related articles
- ‘Plump my ride’: luxury car makers create bigger cars for fat drivers (telegraph.co.uk)
- Supersize My Porsche: Luxury Carmakers Add Features for Obese Drivers (newsfeed.time.com)
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