Mobility as a socially interactive necessity

Let’s imagine a society where we don’t pay for transportation, or where the cost of energy associated with moving from one place to the other is free. How would our personal and collective behavior change in regard to mobility?

Let’s now imagine a society where all transportation devices are public and no one would need to own any privately. How would this scenario affect our personal and collective behavior in regard to mobility?

In all possible answers to both questions, we are likely to see transportation as a commodity and very possibly plan to drive or travel more.

But are we going to be more mobile?

Historically, mobility has been associated with freedom and the ability to discover new frontiers. Geographical borders are gradually disappearing and the world is becoming smaller every day, thanks to easier, more affordable travel and ubiquitous access to information.

However, the ability to travel more easily and information ubiquity have not necessarily resulted in understanding other cultures, their knowledge and traditions … and therefore have not truly made the world smaller.

Do we need a new culture of mobility? One that helps us discover, engage, and understand other cultures? Are these cultures local or distant? Are we able to easily interact with one another and share common values or goals?

Our progress is involving more collaborative efforts every day. A culture of emotional and intellectual mobility may very well help us go beyond the borders of simple transportation in space or information navigation. By better understanding the new requirements for collaboration, our understanding of mobility will evolve, and hopefully our efforts and actions will direct us to a socially meaningful way to create wealth and innovation through discoveries of new frontiers.