Friday, September 26, 2008

The willingness factor

Today, I connected two different people with two different carpool possibilities.

My mother, a Roosevelt Democrat, used to say, "Democracy depends on the willingness of its participants." God rest her soul and her soapbox [she had some strong opinions!], mom's wisdom is true about democracy and carpooling.

Carpooling depends on the willingness of its participants. Without participants, there is no carpooling.

MOST -- two-thirds or more -- of carpools are founded by people who already know each other. Carpool connections are also made second-hand, through someone like me, who-knows-someone-who-lives-near-you.

We Americans have a cultural norm of the convenience of driving alone. Overcoming that requires attention, desire and sometimes outside influences.

Willingness is key.

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