As 2012 draws to an end, many of the world's 7 billion peoples have celebrated, or await to partake, in age-old events which have spawned from the annuls of Eastern history.
These are as aesthetically and phonetically diverse as the intended seperational leaps in theosophic tribal evolution, from Egyptian-Babylonian-Zoroastrian to Indo-Aryian to Shang-Confucianism. Today filtered into various belief systems, notably Eid for Muslims, Diwali for Hindus, Bodhi for Buddhists, Yuletide for Pagans and Christmas for Christians and multi-strains of Asiatic Humanism.
Theological disbelievers may recognise it all as a man-made construction, for power and order, an aspect of 'Selfish Gene' theory. But the period at least offers a little relaxation for such aetheists.
Culturally - even if for a short time - it is about tribal re-affirmation, a halting of the typically seperatist social structures that exist within the everyday, born from Adam Smith's 'division of labour' to Jeremy Bentham's 'individualistic utilitarianism'.
For this period, each theological environ displays singularly familiar 'auto-icons' to propogate the tribal instinct and re-create social cohesion : such innately created tribalism today re-played by and within the materialism consumer and lifestyle brands.
As a primary signifier of materialistic age merged with social binding, the motor car itself has even been inducted into olde-worlde traditions. For a small fee, a 'newly arrived' family's purchase of a new small minivan, sedan or hatchback is splayed with garlands, sprinkled with water and receives holy proclaimation so as to ward-off evil and ensure a lifetime of successful motoring.
investment-auto-motives revels in the delight and wonderment vehicles and the vehicle industry increasingly brings to millions of peoples across the emerging world, and the western recognition toward the need of 'globally balanced' automotive consumption for eco-harmony.
As the multitude of candles and fireworks are lit across the world, so the car, van and truck transports millions to their celebratory destinations and so help alleviate for a time their personal yet universal challenges.
The religion that is the motor car is plain to see, millions investing their time, efforts and monies toward a better, comfortable and more spiritually uplifting motorised journey through life.
The day may yet come when Karl Benz, Henry Ford, Ferdinand Porsche, Kiichiro Toyoda and Soichiro Honda are deified by future generations.
