The Economist.
Hi, this is Ethan Wu, co-host of Money Talks, our business and finance podcast.
Welcome to Editor's Picks.
We've handpicked an article we recommend from the most recent edition of The Economist.
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These days it can be hard to know what a liberal really believes.
Thankfully, a simple test throws light on their soul.
It is similar to one Herman Rorschach designed in the 1920s.
Though instead of putting the subject in front of an ambiguous inkblot
and waiting for them to say something profound about their mother,
wheel in a white and green lime Gen 4 electric bike, found stacked by the dozen on city streets around the world.
Let their eyes settle on it and gently ask, what do you see?
That is the paragon of liberal capitalism, exclaims the first subject.
What's not to love?
The lime rider accelerates quickly and without effort.
He feels good about his carbon footprint and better about being spared the collectivism of public transport.
Each bike is an advert for creative destruction.
If even the humble bicycle can be improved by innovation, anything can.
Since lime bikes are dockless, which allows the rider to leave them pretty much anywhere,
the bikes bestow on riders of only modest means the highest of modern luxuries, nonchalance in travel.