I am often amazed at what other people think is important. It doesn't bother me that our views (obviously) conflict rather frequently- some people pay attention to news, fashion, computer gadgets, celebrities, etc, and as long as they are happy with their lives and do their best to be decent people, then whatever. But now and then, something smacks me upside the head at how drastically different people's priorities can be.
When I was in high school, the parking lot was pretty much chock full of crappy, old, used cars. You knew who the rich people were because they would have a shiny new car, with a good paint job, new tires, maybe even the sticker still in the window if they were real vain show-offs. For the most part, though, kids got either what they could afford, or that old junker car that the parents didn't want anymore, so it got passed down to the new driver while the adults got a shiny new toy. Rust, dented bumpers, and the occasional car that qualified as a classic, though in need of repair, were common. Sometimes you even got the pleasure of learning how to team up and push-start a car, or help push a friend's jalopy around to the nearest gas station if the fuel meter didn't work right.
As I was walking back to my car from class today, however, I realized that mine was really, really easy to find in the community college parking lot... because it was one of about three cars total that had peeling clearcoat on it. I stopped and took a second look, and sure enough, almost all of the cars in the lot were less than three years old. It wasn't even the usual compact/ economy cars, either- there were some nice cars, like Mustangs, Audis, Lexus (Lexi?), Acuras, etc, and way more than could be accounted for by teachers. On the way out of the parking lot, thejerk person in front of me, who'd stalled out twice while getting past the stop sign, got out to shut his trunk (that he'd managed to pop open while driving). Dude couldn't have been more than 19-20 years old, and was in a brand-new, shiny Mustang. Really?
Maybe I'm just too focused on finances right now, but correct me if I'm wrong: we're in a slow economy where people are un- and under-employed, have to take mandatory unpaid days off due to our government's inability to balance a budget, and are facing more debt than ever before, right? So why are people buying their children brand new cars?
Priorities, man...
When I was in high school, the parking lot was pretty much chock full of crappy, old, used cars. You knew who the rich people were because they would have a shiny new car, with a good paint job, new tires, maybe even the sticker still in the window if they were real vain show-offs. For the most part, though, kids got either what they could afford, or that old junker car that the parents didn't want anymore, so it got passed down to the new driver while the adults got a shiny new toy. Rust, dented bumpers, and the occasional car that qualified as a classic, though in need of repair, were common. Sometimes you even got the pleasure of learning how to team up and push-start a car, or help push a friend's jalopy around to the nearest gas station if the fuel meter didn't work right.
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| My first car was this, but in an institution-puke-green color. |
As I was walking back to my car from class today, however, I realized that mine was really, really easy to find in the community college parking lot... because it was one of about three cars total that had peeling clearcoat on it. I stopped and took a second look, and sure enough, almost all of the cars in the lot were less than three years old. It wasn't even the usual compact/ economy cars, either- there were some nice cars, like Mustangs, Audis, Lexus (Lexi?), Acuras, etc, and way more than could be accounted for by teachers. On the way out of the parking lot, the
Maybe I'm just too focused on finances right now, but correct me if I'm wrong: we're in a slow economy where people are un- and under-employed, have to take mandatory unpaid days off due to our government's inability to balance a budget, and are facing more debt than ever before, right? So why are people buying their children brand new cars?
Priorities, man...
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