originally published 4/20/2021

Philosopher and mechanic Matthew Crawford argues for the renewal of manual competence through the lens of modern driving in his book Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road. Provoked by the specter of self-driving cars, Crawford laments the losses of human skill that correspond with gains in mechanical automation. For him, more automation means submitting to more bureaucracy as the car becomes a “device” comparable to a smartphone. Quoting Nietzche’s axiom that “Joy is the feeling of your powers expanding,” Crawford argues that we miss out on fundamental aspects of human experience the further we move toward automation and away from skill and responsibility. Drawing from Tocqueville’s insights into the democratic personality, Crawford ultimately holds that cultivating everyday skill (like the ability to drive well) is necessary for the “messy” realities of self-government. This interview was originally published on Volume 150.

21 minutes

PREVIEW

The player for this Journal volume is only available to current members or listeners with a legacy account. If you have an active membership, log in here. If you’d like to become a member — with access to all our audio programs — sign up here.

Related reading and listening