Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2001. [Vol. 7.] Eger Journal of American Studies.(Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 27)

Studies - Sándor Végh: Adoption or Adaptation?: Interpretations of the Automobile

SÁNDOR VÉGH ADOPTION OR ADAPTATION?: INTERPRETATIONS OF THE AUTOMOBILE Introduction To offer potential interpretations of the automobile it is necessary to begin with the observation of its way into American society. Contrary to the common assumption that the automobile worked its way into the American cultural scene on the veni, vidi, vici basis, I believe its spreading occurred according to a prefabricated agenda which aimed at business interest rather than social improvements per se. Consequently, the changes in the social and cultural landscape that followed the appearance of the automobile were clear examples of a set of business-driven decisions on the way to the formation of a modern, capitalist consumer society. The development of the automobile was certainly a gradual process. However, for the common man the automobile seemed to become reality overnight when Ford's Model T came out in sufficient quantity to fill the streets of American cities. Most of the people did not see the actual stages of development from Nicolaus Otto's fourstroke engine to Ford's Flivver. Therefore, it is also'nccessary to pay attention to how, and in what phases, the automobile was integrated into the lives of American people. Whether the automobile had to be changed to suit the needs of society, or actually society had to be reshaped to fit the automobile; that is, whether society adapted the car and altered it to its needs, or the proccss seemed rather an adoption which would suggest that it was society which was in constant change in order to accommodate the car. 75