Homework for 2/26/08

Car Culture:

To me, my vehicle is just transportation and nothing more, but maybe that would change if I had more money or options choosing a car. Cars do say a lot about their owners, but mostly about what they can afford and what they value.
It is interesting to compare the Prius and the Hummer, they are complete opposites on so many levels. One is small and efficient, and conscientious of the environment, while the other is larger, a sign of wealth and excess, a symbol that reflects the American population's views. So what if it has poor gas mileage and gas prices are pretty much always rising, you can show off your success and money by driving that monstrosity that no one should really be driving in the first place. This first article mainly focuses on celebrities and these two cars, but I would rather hear more about the average person who purchases one of these two cars.
The second article focuses on women's influence on car design, but it starts out by pointing out how they are statistically make up a larger portion of automobile buyers, or at least those who finance them. The article states that since women are buying cars, they want to try and meet their needs best, when it really comes down to these companies trying to find ways to sell more cars. As I read the whole thing I felt that all the features on the car designed for and by women was very comparable to the "pink" cars and then at the end the author made the same analogy. I feel that it is very sexist and wrong to think about "women who want what a man wants in a car" or "what does the everywoman want in a car" but instead these companies should focus on what anyone would want in a car, regardless of any demographic, and just making something that is a good product.
I think the odd car designs mentioned in the third article definitely show the trend of car designers making modern and odd shaped cars that are eye-catching, and rememberable, even if some people call them ugly. I do not find it hard to believe at all that a car with a unique design sells more than a plain car. Since more car makers are making unique designs, there are more options to choose from today than there were before, so I guess this is good and people get their sense of originality, and the companies are making big bucks.