WHO NEEDS A HUMMER?By:

Samson Cameron

Class Status Perception • Common belief :Cars improve class Status

• Flaunts wealth.• Others will connect purchases to class• Necessary to be high-class

The Problem • This ideology isn’t accurate due to

• Changes in Consumer Demands• Changes in Industrial Production• Changes in Economic Factors

Result of This Idea

The poor are buying cars that they ….• Can’t afford to

•Own•Maintain•Drive

• Don’t need• Don’t do anything about their class

Result of This Idea

The poor are buying cars that they ….• believe are making them look richer• But are making them more poor• They don’t look right in• Go against their values

Changes in Consumer Demand

Old New

Changes in Consumer Demand (Poor)

Old

• Got you from one place to another

• Have a reasonable price

New

• Has to have• a good radio• GPS• Excellent Mileage• Seating for 6

Changes in Consumer Demand (Rich)

Old

• Has to be the Best of the Best

• No one else’s car can be like their car

• Shows my wealth

New

• Has to have• Excellent Mileage• Environmental Safe

• Not hurt their wallets

What Does This Mean

The Richer consumers aren’t purchasing any vehicles different than what the Poorer consumers are buying.

Automotive Production

Old New

Automotive Production

Old

• New car every 12 Minutes with• Barebones Essentials

• No variation

New

• New car every ½ a Minute with• Infused Complex Technologies

• Plenty of variation

Automotive Production and This Ideology

• lower class buying cars consider to be higher class

• Rich buying the same cars but have more money in pockets afterwards

• Leaving no differences between class because• Getting the same • Getting the same socially constructed level of Car

Economic Changes• In the Past

• Little to no mass public Transportation• More urbanized living• Always necessary to own cars

Economic Changes• Now

• Mass public Transportation is everywhere• More City Living lifestyles• Not always necessary to own cars

What does this mean to this idea• You cant link being poor

• Not owning a Car• Riding the bus

• This is due to • Increase of cost to own in cities• The rich aren’t driving in cities

What does this all mean• Cars improve class Status isn’t true

• Due to • Changes in Consumer Demands• Changes in Industrial Production• Changes in Economic Factors

And What?• No one should

• Believe this ideology• Practice this ideology• Discriminate because of this Idea• Or trying to define class using this Idea