Quote:
Originally Posted by worthywads
Maybe you should become a psychologist first and then do some studies before concluding that vehicle choice is a self-esteem problem.
I'd hate to see you waste time if self-esteem isn't the real reason for owning a truck.
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On slashdot.org, someone was griping about how he used to own a truck because it made him feel "big." When you see people driving SUVs and pick-up trucks, many of them are short in stature. It has long been said that the majority of people driving these vehicles do not need them. If they did need them, there would be no demand for luxury features that would only get ruined by work that needed these vehicles (e.g. farming), yet there is a huge demand for them. It seems to follow that the majority of the people who are driving these vehicles have self esteem issues.
Quote:
Originally Posted by leahbeatle
Eventually the wallets are going to do the talking. That's all the psychology most people need to change their minds. That, and maybe advertising.
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People with gambling addictions gamble away everything long after their wallets have started talking. The same goes for tobacco and alcohol. The lack of self-esteem for which people are compensating with these vehicles is not going to allow them to buy more fuel efficient vehicles, period. They will become paupers before they sacrifice these vehicles because they get a feeling of importance from them and the automobile industry has been a catalyst in this by encouraging the idea that these vehicles make people important. For example, look at the following rebate form:
http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...bate_3159A.pdf
That man in the picture looks absolutely ridiculous, but the advertisement is trying to convey a feeling of importance that his truck gives to him and once people feel that, they will do whatever they can to maintain it, much like how people respond to feelings of false happiness from other sources such as alcohol and tobacco.