Posted on 07/12/2007 11:54:59 AM PDT by mojito
On an average Saturday morning, there are five blue Toyota Priuses in the parking lot of our synagogue. I know because my children count them, starting with ours. They could do this with any popular item they own, of course (not that they have too many chances in our late-adapting household). But their hybrid love made me cringe last week, when the New York Times ran a story about the success of the Prius (purchase required), and I saw myself in it.
Why are Prius sales surging when other hybrids are slumping, the Times asked? Because buyers "want everyone to know they are driving a hybrid." According to a marketing survey (which the Times ran in a graphic I couldn't hide from), more buyers bought the Prius this year because it "makes a statement about me" (57 percent) than because of its better gas mileage (36 percent) or lower carbon dioxide emissions (25 percent) or new technology (7 percent).
If I'm being honest, I'd answer "all of the above" in response to that survey. It also made me worry about how my kids perceive our family Prius ownership. Do they think we're doing our small bit to save the Earth, or are they imbibing a look-at-me smugness?
This is a problem that can arise in many contexts—nationalism and religion spring to mind. There's a fine line between pride in one's identity and unearned moral superiority. But environmentalism has particular pitfalls. One's salvation from sin doesn't depend on anyone else's salvation, not directly. But one's salvation from global warming does. My air conditioning is cooling off my house and heating up your planet.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
There was a Southpark episode......
Yes..........
Whats laughable is it cost more to manufacture the Prieus than it does my H2.
That car is the number one emitter of the pollutants that go to make up smug.
Smug ping...
“Is my hybrid turning my kids into eco-snobs?”
News flash . . . it ain’t the car, honey.
Of course not. They're eco-snobs because their parents' eco-snobbery is rubbing off on them.
And manufacturing a prius does FAR more enviro damage than manufacturing a hummer, real or the H2/H3 type. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1800912/posts
Since my town doesn’t require recycling, I smugly spend 1 minute a week putting out my 2 bags of trash.
‘And manufacturing a prius does FAR more enviro damage than manufacturing a hummer, real or the H2/H3 type. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1800912/posts';
Yep.
And it can’t be anywhere near as fun to drive!
But they will do 103 mph while hauling pot & illegal prescription drugs, just ask Al Gore’s kid.
Most car purchases envolve heavy doses of status seeking. It’s been that way since the beginning.
Gas milage isn’t that impressive either, Geo Metro got 45 mpg, and they’re almost extinct.
A few years ago, during the early years of the Prius development, I had a close relationahip with Toyota, and the consensus then was that most of the people who bought the Prius were odd balls. My personal observations confirmed that to my satisfaction.
‘But they will do 103 mph while hauling pot & illegal prescription drugs, just ask Al Gore’s kid.’
Hey, he bought carbon credits!
LOL!
Sometimes the smug is suffocating to be around.
There’s a few Prius’s (Priuii?) in my building at work. They are driven, without exception, by “preening” eco-weenie types who bought them solely to be seen in them, not for any real effect on the environment.
Also darn near got run over by one... they’re so quiet in electric-mode they can really sneak up on you in the parking lot. You can’t hear them coming behind you. But that’s another topic.
My town passed out recycling bins along with a bill for $9.50. I called the mayor and told her I don’t believe in recycling and want my $9.50 back.
That didn’t go over well. Oh well, the bin makes a nice holder for swim toys.
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