STUDY: Hummer owners believe they've made "a highly moral consumption choice"
There probably isn't any one passenger vehicle on earth that earns more ire from environmentalists than the Hummer H2. While the reality of the matter is that most Hummers aren't really much worse when it comes to fuel mileage and overall emissions than any other giant SUV (most civilian Hummers are, in fact, based largely on truck platforms from General Motors) the brand has seemingly been made into the poster child of American excess.
Interestingly, however, according to a small study of 20 Hummer owners published in the Journal of Consumer Research, that stigma may actually be a selling point for those who purchase Hummers. According to the authors of the study:
Interesting, no? It's hard to argue that this report offers a conclusive look into the minds of Hummer owners and Hummer haters alike – especially when the sample size is so small – and we doubt it's going to put an end to the debate over the seemingly conflicting rights of Americans to purchase the vehicle of their choice, consume or conserve whatever resources they deem necessary and breathe clean air. That said, it's an interesting bit of research, no?As we studied American Hummer owners and their ideological beliefs, we found that they consider Hummer driving a highly moral consumption choice. For Hummer owners it is possible to claim the moral high ground... The moralistic critique of their consumption choices readily inspired Hummer owners to adopt the role of the moral protagonist who defends American national ideals.
[Source: Journal of Consumer Research - sub. req'd; via Wired]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Satn 10:32AM (9/25/2009)
Basicly, idiots like these guys (and Tim) think the founding fathers WANTED them to waste gas, even before it was invented.
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alex 11:10AM (9/25/2009)
this is based on 20 people... hardly what i'd call a "study".
say what you will about the hummer, but they are a marvel of mechanical technology. just because rappers put big rims on them doesn't mean that they aren't amazing off road vehicles. that said, if you're not taking them off road, you have no business buying one.
Satn 11:32AM (9/25/2009)
They aren't marvels of anything, they are a ford explorer with less aerodynamic bodywork.
The first batch had a habbit of having the front wheels fall off from going over a curb...amazing offroad capability, that.
(Only 20 people would publicly admit to owning a hummer)
And here, let me update you on what actual engineering is;
Landrover
Audi
BMW
GT-R
EVO
Lotus
Ariel atom
alex 12:03PM (9/25/2009)
clearly you've never off roaded in a hummer. they are amazing and autoblog seems to agree:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/15/autoblog-comparo-moving-mountains-toyota-landcruiser-vs-humm/
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/30/autoblog-comparo-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-rubicon-vs-hummer-h3t/
Satn 12:17PM (9/25/2009)
You're right, I never have.
But anyone who offroads where their life depends on it (africa, middle-eastern deserts, arctic circle) would never take something as poorly engineered as a hummer just because it has a high ground clearance and fat tires. Those people use landcruisers and discoveries.
Also; what kind of idiot buys a $60k++ SUV for weekend warrior offroading when a junker jeep can be made into a much better rock crawler for 1/3 the price?
Tim 1:04PM (9/25/2009)
Satan,
The founders wanted "We, the People" to have liberty FROM an all powerful oligarchy.
They wanted us to have the freedom to CHOOSE to own whatever we wanted and could afford to buy for ourselves. They wanted FREE Market Capitalism and not the Progressive Crony Capitalism we now endure and they HATED theft either by individuals or Governments.
The Founding Father of Crony Capitalism (read and learn freedom)
http://mises.org/story/3164
Our Founders (except Hamilton) did NOT want a group of Progressive Statists (Socialists, Marxists, Fascists, Communists or Kings) ALL of which are ruled by an Oligarchy to control EVERY aspect of our lives.
Either, (a) YOU need a "Big Brother" to manage your life like a little child, or (b) YOU want to BE a "Big Brother" to manage the lives and choices of others like a Fascist.
We fought a revolution and 2 World Wars to stop People JUST LIKE YOU and secure our INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY!
Apparently, in order to reinstate the Constitutional constraints on gov't Progressives (read the Bill of Rights) we'll have to do it again. I hope it will be a war of ideas, a cold war between the Free Men like me and the Programmed Sheeple Robots like YOU.
BRING IT!
Tim 1:08PM (9/25/2009)
Satan,
This should make your day:
Get ready! Here come the energy police
'Google PowerMeter' could mean regulation of your private home
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=110509
meme 1:07PM (9/25/2009)
Tim,
Would you mind if I chose to run a car that spewed beryllium dust and fluorine gas and drove past your house at regular intervals?
Matt 2:20PM (9/25/2009)
"they are a ford explorer with less aerodynamic bodywork"
Oh, Satn, if you only knew how much that made me chuckle... The H2 shares the same chassis as the previous Chevy Tahoe. It's not a Ford, and certainly isn't anything like the Exploder.
As for its off road capabilities, I'm with you. The H2 is the worst off-roader in the Hummer lineup, with the H3 being only marginally better. The H1, the real Hummer, was/is a superb off-road vehicle, but it shares roughly 0% of its parts with any of its soccer mom siblings.
Your best bet for off road capability right now is a Jeep (not that Compass POS, a real Jeep) or a Toyota Tacoma. The Ford Ranger works too, but don't go crawling over any boulders.
The truth is, the H2 was never designed to be an off road vehicle. The H2 was designed to be big and expensive, to haul small boats and lots of luggage, to fit the entire soccer team in something that doesn't resemble a bus (ok, maybe it does). The point is, it fits a purpose; just maybe not the one most people want to pin on it. Maybe it's not an off road vehicle, and maybe it wastes gasoline, but it is a well engineered kid carrier with all the modern luxuries. To each his own, and thank God we live in a country where we can both choose ridiculous cars and make fun of other people for choosing ridiculous cars at the same time.
Which is more ridiculous? Those of us who obsess about being efficient, or those who obsess about being gluttonous? Is it really something to be mad about? Should we start huckin' rocks at each other?
wincros 3:25PM (9/25/2009)
Basically, they do not really believe that nonsense. They are liars providing a rationalization for whatever they feel like doing and everything they do is wrapped in the flag. And you are a terrorist/communist/nazi for questioning them.
Chris M 8:30PM (9/25/2009)
Tim, thanks for the link, that paranoid rant on "WorldNetDaily" was amusing, in an "Are they really that insanely stupid" kind of way. The author, Jerome Corsi, shows an extraordinary degree of technological illiteracy and paranoia, he really believes that this software could somehow invade his home and measure the power consumption of all his appliances, and report it back to some sort of "green overlords" for a rediculously obscure nefarious purpose. No software could ever do that by itself, it would require that a special meters be installed between the outlets and the appliance plugs, and those meters would also have to be able to connect to a home computer or the internet. If you don't want "Google Power Meter" measuring your power use, well, just don't buy and install the Google meters, it really is that simple.
The only "energy police" are the utilities themselves, they are the only ones that really must know how much electricity they are selling to you, so they can bill appropriately. The meter on the side of your house belongs to them, not the Government. The only "fine" for "energy offenders" is a higher electrical bill. If you really think that is some sort of "evil conspiracy", sorry, that is a serious mental disorder far beyond my ability to help.
Now here in the reality based world, we realize that Google PowerMeter is simply a tool that some people can use to measure their power consumption, so they can find potential energy wasters and reduce their power consumption and save themselves money. IT IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY! If you don't want to use it, fine, it's your power bill, not mine.
Now, Tim, I do understand your desire to convert others to your peculiar political "religion", what I don't understand is why you and people like you are so eager to believe outlandish conspiracies that don't really exist, while being strangely oblivious to real life problems.
Monroe 1:49AM (9/26/2009)
Tim,
Sounds like you've been watching the Beck Comedy Hour. Good boy.
Dave 10:33AM (9/25/2009)
When your next door neighbor drives a carbureted 454ci powered Suburban with no catalytic converters, your Hummer will look green as a Prius.
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Evan 10:58AM (9/25/2009)
"American national ideals". In other words, guns and trucks.
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Carney 12:52PM (9/25/2009)
Got a problem with that?
Geronimo 11:11AM (9/25/2009)
I am a firm believer that "idiocy is always eminated from idiots".
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Throwback 11:44AM (9/25/2009)
I have no problem with people buying a Hummer for whatever reason. They are making a personal transportation choice. As are the folks who buy hybrids or choose to use public transportation only. We are turning into a country of whiners and yellers. Where if you "think like me" you are smart and morally superior. However, if you think like "those" people" you are morally corrupt and should be made to comply with my world view.
When has a poll of 20 people ever been statistically significant?
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Satn 12:02PM (9/25/2009)
20 person polls are common in oil and coal industries when asking "scientists" if global warming is real/bad.
And most smart countries outlaw personal choices that are bad for the overall society, such as speeding, DUI, and recently cellphone use/texting while driving. Gas guzzlers bought for status and for inflating ones ego aren't useful and are just harmful.
Epyx 12:53PM (9/25/2009)
I think Satn has proven the point he tried to refute
Throwback 6:44AM (9/26/2009)
satn, please tell me what smart countries have outlawed the purchase of Hummers?