Big Dumb Trucks

[Makers]

Trucks are indispensible tools for the farmer, the rancher, and the construction worker, and I imagine serving the men and women in these professions was the trucks original design. But lately, or perhaps for awhile now, it has seemed clear that the truck--specifically the Big Dumb Truck (BDT)--has taken on new significance, as a symbol of high status or gluttony, which one, I’m not sure. The two have a tendency to overlap in our society, where those dwelling in suburban McMansions stuffed with superfluities are revered for their supposed industriousness (plugging numbers), while a single mother or father working several jobs to keep a meager roof over his or her childrens’ heads is maligned. We are in a confused state, no doubt. Confused to the extent that the same suburban McMansioneers have seen fit to afford themselves BDTs, despite their great distance from the farm, the ranch, and the construction site. And what’s more, they drive their BDTs around like overlords on the road or highway, as though the proper attitude of everyone else should be to gawk and revere. Suffice to say, I think this is ridiculous to the extreme: the extent to which people flaunt their wealth is proportionate to the inadequacies of their character.

[Fitz]

I drove my friends Raptor not too long ago and it was glorious. I'd buy one in a heart beat if I could. Don't want one? Don't buy one. Want to live on a hippy commune? No one's stopping you bro.

[Makers]

I drove my friends Raptor not too long ago and it was glorious. I'd buy one in a heart beat if I could. Don't want one? Don't buy one. Want to live on a hippy commune? No one's stopping you bro.

Am I not in Rants, raves, and hot-air? I thought I was in rants, raves, and hot hair.

I repeat:

The extent to which people flaunt their wealth is proportionate to the inadequacies of their character.

There is, obviously, unfortunately, no restraint from you and your friend purchasing whatever, and at the same time, there's no restraint from me passing my judgement on it.

[Sir Caveat]

while a single mother or father working several jobs to keep a meager roof over his or her childrens’ heads is maligned.

I haven't noticed anybody maligning people who work multiple jobs, while you're moralizing and maligning people because of their choice of ride.

We are in a confused state, no doubt.

No doubt some are.

[P-O]

As someone who drives a car, I dislike anything that handicaps my ability to see in front of the vehicle ahead of me. Overly large trucks/suv's/vans deprive me of important information about what's going on and what I need to do. I get that sometimes this is unavoidable as a practical reality; but people who don't need to be driving something like that, shouldn't be.

It doesn't bother me that people are throwing their money away on luxury items, it bothers me that these luxury items are negatively affecting my life.

[Fitz]

Am I not in Rants, raves, and hot-air? I thought I was in rants, raves, and hot hair.

I repeat:

The extent to which people flaunt their wealth is proportionate to the inadequacies of their character.

There is, obviously, unfortunately, no restraint from you and your friend purchasing whatever, and at the same time, there's no restraint from me passing my judgement on it.

Do you not think your pissing and moaning reflects on the inadequacies of your character? You condemn whole swaths of society for their choice of vehicle, housing, or job they work because they don't meet your silly ideals.

oh, right, you wanted a circle jerk.

[Makers]

I haven't noticed anybody maligning people who work multiple jobs, while you're moralizing and maligning people because of their choice of ride.

There are many people in America who are food insecure, 1 in 6. There are many people without access to clean water. The fast food worker, the Wal-Mart greeter, and the 60 year old lady ringing up purchases at the grocery story, because she doesn't have health care and is trying to keep her home, are all people no one wants to be. And for that reason, yes, they are mocked. Watch Fox or any major network news channel, they're all connected, or follow the political rhetoric of representatives, who by the way, in D.C. are almost all earning more than 700K a year. Listen to where the implicitly put the blame, and tell me they're not mocked.

No doubt some are.

I'm sure you know all the arguments, you’re not stupid, you just won't and never will want to listen or care.

[Makers]

Do you not think your pissing and moaning reflects on the inadequacies of your character? You condemn whole swaths of society for their choice of vehicle, housing, or job they work because they don't meet your silly ideals.

oh, right, you wanted a circle jerk.

Yes I am condemning them. I am ranting in the rants thread. It's my perogative to do so, and it's your peragotive to sit on your couch and eat twinkies, or do whatever the fuck it is you do.

[Sir Caveat]

There are many people in America who are food insecure, 1 in 6. There are many people without access to clean water. The fast food worker, the Wal-Mart greeter, and the 60 year old lady ringing up purchases at the grocery story, because she doesn't have health care and is trying to keep her home, are all people no one wants to be. And for that reason, yes, they are mocked. Watch Fox or any major network news channel, they're all connected, or follow the political rhetoric of representatives, who by the way, in D.C. are almost all earning more than 700K a year. Listen to where the implicitly put the blame, and tell me they're not mocked.

I'm sure you know all the arguments, you’re not stupid, you just won't and never will want to listen or care.

Am I not in Rants, raves, and hot-air? I thought I was in rants, raves, and hot hair.

Yep you're in the right place. I don't see the connection between the exaggerated scope of misery that you see and what cars people drive. Nor do I see the subliminal mockery that you sense.

[Hephaestus]

The extent to which people flaunt their wealth is proportionate to the inadequacies of their character.

When I got to here, I found myself wondering what you were really ranting about. Seems to me these things help you identify people you find to have inadequacies in their character, but it sounds like you're ranting about being able to observe them ahead of time. I find it convenient to note that anyone driving a Blazer is almost certainly an asshole I don't want to associate with. The confirmation is complete when I see how they park--or if they've lifted the thing onto monster truck tires. Any lifted vehicle raises the probability to about 95%, though ironically, the drivers aren't usually of the McMansion tax bracket, but more commonly closer to the trailer park tax bracket.

But, what I think you want to rant about based on how you support yourself later, is poverty and the contrast between the haves and have nots.

Well, what if no one was food insecure, but these people still earned money, and chose to purchase large houses and trucks--is the conspicuous consumption still objectionable? Is your rant about the existence of conspicuous consumption, or the specific things?

And for that matter--how do you know they don't need a truck? I mean... trucks are handy. I had a 1/4-ton pickup and it was one of my favorite vehicles. I didn't need it to be a truck most of the time, but it got great mileage and when I did need it to be a truck, it came through for me better than a car would have.

Source: I've had cars too.

For that matter, I'm inclined to reject arguments about how other people spend their money on themselves for their own pleasure based on indictments of their personal "need". It's controlling bossy behavior and an overreaching abrogation of the right to do so.

Granted... it's a rant. But so is this rebuttal.