Hummer owners view themselves as morally superior
A new study reveals that Hummer owners believe that they are defending 'America's frontier lifestyle' against 'anti-American critics'.
By Bryan NelsonThu, Sep 24 2009 at 3:15 AM EST
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HUMMER: Is it a symbol of nationalism and American independence, or of the U.S. dependency on foreign oil? (Photo: powerbooktrance/Flickr) Since its inception as a civilian vehicle, the Hummer has often incited moral indignation from people who believe the car represents wastefulness, overconsumption, arrogance and everything that is wrong with America. But a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that Hummer owners actually view themselves as possessing the moral high ground.
The findings were based upon interviews conducted on 20 U.S.-born Hummer owners, and discovered that most appealed to American myths such as the "rugged individual" and "boundless frontier" in upholding their choice to drive the infamous gas guzzlers.
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The study's authors explain their conclusions in the paper: "Our analysis of the underlying American identity discourses revealed that being under siege by critics is an historically established feature of being an American. The moralistic critique of their consumption choices readily inspired Hummer owners to adopt the role of the moral protagonist who defends American national ideals."
The research was originally intended to study the sentiments expressed by the people who hold strong anti-consumption beliefs against Hummer owners, but discovered that Hummer owners share an equally strong moral indignation in the opposite direction.
The Hummer, sold by General Motors, has had its design criticized on multiple fronts and has become a prominent symbol showcasing the failure of the American auto manufacturer. Based originally upon the military Hum-vee, the Hummer has long prompted many to question its utility as a civilian luxury vehicle.
For instance, the car's unnecessary size makes it difficult to park and drive, and although many owners frequently cite safety as a consideration in their choice to purchase a Hummer, the vehicle actually takes longer to stop in highway emergency braking situations, has large blind spots and lacks stability control.
But perhaps the biggest criticism of its design comes from the Hummer's exceptionally poor fuel economy. It only gets 9-16 miles per gallon at best, and has garnered passionate disgust from environmentalists. Critics are so vehement that many have posted thousands of photographs at sites like fuh2.com of middle fingers directed at Hummer vehicles.
Due in large part to these criticisms and GM's recent bankruptcy, the company announced that the Hummer brand would be discontinued after 2010. There have been efforts to sell the brand, but those efforts are being blocked on environmental grounds.
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Comments
Anonymous
11/01/2009 19:20 PM
The article should also point out that General Motors sold the Hummer brand to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company on June 2, 2009. Hummer has not been an "American brand" since then.
Alice
09/24/2009 23:41 PM
A while ago there was an article saying Hummers were better/greener than Prius' based on questionable data about how long people owned the cars and on the pollutants in Prius' battery and which probably assumed the battery went straight into a landfill. Further it totally ignored the value of the Prius as agent for change -- the next generation of cars will be better because this technology has been perfected.
JDS
10/29/2009 21:35 PM
Replace the "H" with a "D." Want the facts? Go to Greenercars.org for a rating. Prius is best. H2 is worst. Want to be a cowboy? Earn some saddle sores.
"Facts are stupid things," Ronald Reagan told the 1988 RNC convention.
Anonymous
09/24/2009 20:15 PM
If memory serves me right, the frontier lifestyle included building a rustic cabin out of trees you chopped down yourself and killing your dinner on a regular basis...hmm, I highly doubt any Hummer owner has ever done this. I also LOL'd at the excuse that they provide safety: "I need to buy a Hummer to protect me from all those huge SUVs on the road!" Is it ironic that "moral" and "moron" sound so similar, or is it just me? Then again, maybe the survey didn't ask the right question. Instead of.... More
vka2b
09/24/2009 12:28 PM
Proud H2 owner -- don't just throw around terms like "greener" and expect people to believe it. Can you please back that claim up or quantify it somehow? I am not trying to antagonize you, but if you are going to criticize an article for not getting its facts straight but at the same time say "the H2 is in fact greener" without actually showing that statement to be a fact rather than your opinion (again, how do you quantify a term like "greener"), it seems a bit hypocritical. BTW, you may be.... More
Proud H2 Owner
09/24/2009 08:40 AM
Odd no one mentions that the H2 is in fact greener than a Prius - that the MPG is the same or better than a Surburban or other larger SUV. FYI, the sale of Hummer is not being blocked. Get your facts straight.
Anonymous
09/24/2009 18:01 PM
if thats what makes the Hummer Greener..I guess a 2 ton atom bomb is greener than a 3 ton atom bomb...its your children's future you are compromising with your need to be bigger..Whats the difference between a Hummer and a porcupine?? ****** are on the outside of the porcupine.
Chad McCullough
09/24/2009 17:36 PM
How in the hell is the H2 greener? You have got to be kidding, right? Incredible!
