When you can’t get what you want, you teach yourself to want what you can get and then preach to everyone else that they should want it too. This applies to many other things too beyond just cars.
It’s not that the criticism of private cars isn’t valid, but not having one because you can’t afford it isn’t virtuous. It’s only virtuous when you could easily have one but choose not to.
lol. cars suck and I hate them. that being said my wife loves em and I have not been able to live car free since college. For her they are the ultimate freedom but for me they are a ball and chain weighing us down. They are the source of our biggest economic challenges outside of unemployment. Can’t really get rid of it at this point as she has health issues and is handicapped. She could not really handle transit before and sure as can’t now. That being said the only time im in car is when she is driving unless im driving her back from the hospital. I walk, ride my bike, and take the train/bus.