>I think you are reading too much into this SUC (sport unitility car) thing.
>People buy them not to make up for some personal inadequacy or to manifest
>their deep id, but simply because they have been told so by advertisers and
>cued so by others. Contrary to popular belief, the guiding principle of
>human behaviour is following the flock - rather than solipsistic rational
>choices.
I say:
Damn, you may be right ... and I spent three precious hours concocting a socio-semiotic analysis !!!
As for your "redneck nouveau riche" hypothesis, my only rejoinder is: how many of these folks read _The New Yorker_ magazine and _National Geographic_ ?
All best,
John Gulick