Why does Everyone think they deserve an Escalade

[peregrinus_WA]

Is today’s materialistic society finally catching up with some?

From my peregrinus.stblogs.com/:

Why does Everyone think they deserve an Escalade

With the rise in fuel prices, the overemphasis on materialism that this Relativistic society covet has come back to haunt many people. Those who drive those oversized SUV’s are now having to make a decision on whether to trade their status symbols in for something more practical, go without other “necessities” like Starbucks, or even both. Even if they trade in their monster SUV, hey are finding that they are not getting the trade in value they would of gotten a few years back and the smaller, fuel efficient cars are in short supply right now.

I have never subscribed to the “bigger is better” mentality that many have fallen prey to. Yes, I have cut back, but not as other have. I now combine trips, and I do not got to stores just to go to stores. I even have started to walk to work which for me is actually faster than driving. This also saves me money in gas by not providing a temptation to go out to lunch instead of eating at the cafe in the building I am in.

One thing I have seen being in the automotive related industry is that many of the car companies are thinking of importing and/or even building some of their European models here in the United State. I have looked at some of those cars on-line and I can see the possibility many of what is called the “City Cars” being very practical here. I am hoping that some of the do make it here and, if they do, I may be trading in my 2001 Hyundai Elantra (just over 127K miles) sooner than later.

Also, a related thread on the “City Car”:City Cars - Would you drive one?

 

[Newbie2]

Yep.

But I’ve got a friend with a “monster SUV” that he needs to tote himself, his wife and 4 kids around. Few other options available for him.

I do see many folks driving around town alone in a gigantic SUV…seems kinds silly and wasteful to me…but you never know if they really need it for the room and don’t regularly drive it alone.

 

[peregrinus_WA]

Yep.

But I’ve got a friend with a “monster SUV” that he needs to tote himself, his wife and 4 kids around. Few other options available for him.

I do see many folks driving around town alone in a gigantic SUV…seems kinds silly and wasteful to me…but you never know if they really need it for the room and don’t regularly drive it alone.

True, but even then an Escalade is a little much. A minivan or even some of the new crossovers will do just as well for a family of 6.

 

[strngrnrth]

I don’t know what an Escalade is but I know lots of families hat get around in a bike trailer. I do sometimes wish I had a car though and I don’t even have kids.

 

[Newbie2]

True, but even then an Escalade is a little much. A minivan or even some of the new crossovers will do just as well for a family of 6.

Yep, that’s a good point. I also forgot to mention that at least in our area, many families get company cars…and a lot of them are top end vehicles. But I get the drift of the OP.

 

[SeekerJen]

True, but even then an Escalade is a little much. A minivan or even some of the new crossovers will do just as well for a family of 6.

Bingo. Families of much larger than six managed quite well before the Escalade. Sure, everyone didn’t have a captain’s chair, a cup holder, and a clear view of the in-car DVD screen, but somehow everyone survived.

 

[peregrinus_WA]

I don’t know what an Escalade is but I know lots of families hat get around in a bike trailer. I do sometimes wish I had a car though and I don’t even have kids.

Escalade is Cadillac’s giant SUV which is a status symbol for Materialistic and Shallow people.

 

[Lucania]

Escalade is Cadillac’s giant SUV which is a status symbol for Materialistic and Shallow people.

Shallow? Really?! I would love to own an Escalade, but I couldn’t afford to drive it, I’m afraid. It is a beautiful, luxurious SUV. Unlike you, I don’t judge anyone for the car they drive, house they own, clothes they wear, etc… It’s not really yours or my business how someone spends their money they have worked hard for. Are you jealous or do you just like to pass judgement on people who don’t live like you ? Just curious.

 

[peregrinus_WA]

Are you jealous or do you just like to pass judgement on people who don’t live like you ? Just curious.

No. Just practical.

I also like to see how some like to bring out the “judgment” sledgehammer on issues. As usual, I am right.

 

[Ilroy]

Bingo. Families of much larger than six managed quite well before the Escalade. Sure, everyone didn’t have a captain’s chair, a cup holder, and a clear view of the in-car DVD screen, but somehow everyone survived.

The larger families had full sized station wagons though…I know, I am the youngest of 8 kids and had to stay in the far back for many years…now, it’s either a minivan or a large SUV for these families…

 

[KingAlfred]

I discuss this topic a lot with my wife. When will the cost of gasoline finally climb high enough to force Americans to *slow down *-- ten dollars a gallon? Fifteen? Twenty? I’m really curious. Down here in Texas, we have a *pick-up culture *that’s stronger than the world’s entire nuclear arsenal. Nothing could ever break it. Nothing.

If you’re a true Texan, deep down, you want the biggest, baddest TRUCK money can buy. And do we ever drive them fast. I once had a friend who drove from Atlanta, GA, to Pensacola, FL, every weekend. He had a slick sports car, and thought he was John Dillinger, Jr., by outsmarting the cops by driving 80 in the right lane. If I ever saw him again, I’d inform him that 80 is NOTHING in Texas. Nothing. You can do 80 in a school zone, in front of 20 cops, and you might raise *one *eyebrow. I have personally witnessed numerous cars doing 100 MILES PER HOUR, at least, in broad daylight, on highways running directly through our fair city. No cops. No tickets. No public recognition of *any semblance *of a speed limit.

 

[surfinpure]

Bingo. Families of much larger than six managed quite well before the Escalade. Sure, everyone didn’t have a captain’s chair, a cup holder, and a clear view of the in-car DVD screen, but somehow everyone survived.

This is an interesting point. You would think that something so massive and tank-like as an Escalade would surely seat 7 or 8 people with ease. In reality, 6 1/2 is pushing it. My father (a successful real estate broker of 30+ years) drives an Escalade (not the extended one, granted) , and let me tell you it is MURDER trying to get four adults and two toddlers in carseats into that thing! When Hurricane Rita hit and we evacuated, we all opted for the big ol’ Escalade to carry our family to safety up the freeway. After a few days with that thing, my husband and I were saying under our breaths, "Why didn’t we just take the Jeep?"

 

[Lucania]

No. Just practical.

I also like to see how some like to bring out the “judgment” sledgehammer on issues. As usual, I am right.

You’re good at dodge ball I can see. It’s quite obvious that you are a legend in your own mind so I’ll leave you & your Yugo to save the world from the Shallow & Materialistic dregs of society who drive Escalades :yawn: .

 

[surfinpure]

You’re good at dodge ball I can see. It’s quite obvious that you are a legend in your own mind so I’ll leave you & your Yugo to save the world from the Shallow & Materialistic dregs of society who drive Escalades :yawn: .

This member and the one she is quoting are taking turns being rather rude to each other.

 

[thistle]

No. Just practical.

I also like to see how some like to bring out the “judgment” sledgehammer on issues. As usual, I am right.

What an arrogant person you are.

Also to imply that everyone who owns such a vehicle is materialistic and shallow is absolutely ludicrous.
You need a talk with your priest!

 

[fbl9]

myself i feel that because they are Cadillacs these wheels are seen as a status vehicle like a vette type thing… personally if me had the cion for one i would much rather sink it into an older set of wheels…yes the older cars,even 80’s had nicer lines…

 

[DaveBj]

It’s the same with cars as it is with houses, food, health care, and a host of other things (except for basic subsistence, to be supplied out of love by those who have an excess). One “deserves” what one can pay for.

DaveBj

 

[peregrinus_WA]

It’s the same with cars as it is with houses, food, health care, and a host of other things. One “deserves” what one can pay for.

DaveBj

Exactly. Many people have been living outside their means. Now they are whining about it catching up to them. Relativism (which, IMO, Materialism is one symptom) with its perversions is imploding our society. And, IMO, maybe that implosion will not be a bad thing.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/John_Martin_-Sodom_and_Gomorrah.jpg/300px-John_Martin-_Sodom_and_Gomorrah.jpg

 

[marytk]

It’s the same with cars as it is with houses, food, health care, and a host of other things. One “deserves” what one can pay for.

DaveBj

This is true. When I was young almost 40!! years ago our family with six kids was thrilled to move into a big house with more than one bathroom. This is a very nice “desireable” neighborhood and most families had 3-6 kids (four a very common number) Now those houses why how do expect a family of FOUR (altogether and one of those only every other weekend) to fit into such a small house???! (And of course the boys can NOT share a bathroom with girls and never ask a child to share a room)They have to tear down an build a McMansion or build an addition that is as big as the actual house
Like the SUV these Monster houses often reallydont have that much usuable space

 

[liberational]

America loves big cars, big houses, big everything. Americans think nothing of debt to obtain the finer things in life.

I was at the Orlando airport and I was pleased to see a Burger King inside the departure terminal.

I ordered a whopper meal or something like that. Whatever I ordered had them give me this 7 gallon plastic cup for my pop.

When the 4 employee’s walked over and hoisted this gargantuan cup onto my tray. I said to the cashier, I don’t need that much Pop.

She looks at me like I’m from Canada, and says ’ it comes with the meal’. I told her that the cup is huge, she repeated it comes with the meal…hmmm that’s a lot of pop, but oh well, I’m not going to argue over a cup.

I head over to the fountain station and decide to only fill it 3/4’s full as I only need 5 gallons of Diet Coke.

As I’m walking through the terminal, I’m actually embarrassed that I have to use a luggage cart to push this huge cup of pop!

My companions see this massive cup and they literally have a good chuckle at my expense. Needless to say, I only drank half of it and spend my entire flight in the bathroom!

That cup is symptomatic of America…waste of resources to make the cup, waste of energy required to make the cup, waste of water to fill the cup, waster of food products used to fill the cup and I didn’t see any obvious recycling bins anywhere, so that cup and thousands more everyday, will end up in landfills…waste and nothing but waste…all for a giant cup?

They don’t offer those cups in Canada.

Bigger is better or is it?