The Bubble and the Pickup Truck

 

John Ekdahl asked a simple question Tuesday night:

This not at all complicated query should generate one of two answers: yes or no. Instead, Ekdahl got hours of contempt, confusion, and rage.

Ekdahl never mentioned guns, immigration, country music, race, or “real Americans,” yet a flurry of journalists and other progressives tried to shame him with each for daring to ask this non-political question. All because they didn’t want to admit that they live in a bubble.

Many Americans, left and right, live in monochrome cultural enclaves. Many of my friends at DC think tanks and my relatives on the farm don’t interact with many people who live different lives than themselves. Admitting this isn’t a black mark on either group; it merely helps us understand our limited perspective.

Since I live in the Phoenix suburbs, I know plenty of people in both groups. The economist PhDs make me feel dumb and the ranchers make me feel wimpy, so I learn a lot from both. Humility is a requirement if you want to learn or write about the many subjects outside your ken. Journalism would be a lot better if our media accepted this truth.


A longer version of Ekdahl’s question was posed by Charles Murray in his now-famous Bubble Quiz (which includes a question about pickup trucks, natch). I was in the middle of the pack with a score of 58 out of 100. Let me know what you get in the comments.

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  1. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    John Davey (View Comment):
    The point is, we use the truck as intended. But honestly, most new trucks come appointed better than a standard sedan these days. They’re comfortable, provide utility when needed, even if it isn’t the primary reason for the purchase.

     

    The modern pickup is the equivalent of a ’57 Chevy Bel Air Wagon – legroom, hauling capacity for the family, lots of utility for the home.  Americans like big vehicles.

    • #121
  2. Midget Faded Rattlesnake Member
    Midget Faded Rattlesnake
    @Midge

    Manny (View Comment):
    I got a 45 on the bubble quiz. The problem with me is that I don’t watch TV or go to movies.

    Same. I’ve seen Cinderella. Not sure I recognized any of the others. On the other hand, maybe I have seen some of them but just couldn’t remember their names!

    • #122
  3. Ansonia Member
    Ansonia
    @Ansonia

    My score would have been higher if I watched television. I don’t ever watch any.

    • #123
  4. Ray Gunner Coolidge
    Ray Gunner
    @RayGunner

    Cow Girl (View Comment):

    Ray Gunner (View Comment):
    I can only imagine the reactions to this question:

    “There are 253 million cars and trucks on America’s roads. Question to reporters: have you ever changed a tire?”

    Although I have helped my husband change out transmissions, and once, replaced a generator all by myself, I have managed to reach my sixth decade without EVER changing a tire.

    1) For many years, I was cute enough that some guy would always stop and help me.

    2) For many other years, I was pregnant, or/and had a car full of tiny children.

    3)When I was no longer young enough, but not quite old enough to attract random helper guys, I joined AAA.

    I may be a pick up truck owner and veteran tire changer, but I can’t beat a pair of dropped transmissions and a changed out a generator.  I say the Golden Wrench Award for this post goes to you, Cow Girl!

    • #124
  5. Midget Faded Rattlesnake Member
    Midget Faded Rattlesnake
    @Midge

    I think my main reaction to the Bubble Quiz is, “Wow, people actually remember all these things about themselves?”

    • #125
  6. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    Quietpi (View Comment):
    flagged

    Accidentally flagged and don’t know how to unflag. Apologies Quietpi!

    No worries, we saw the flag and didn’t see anything wrong with the original comment.

    • #126
  7. Matt Balzer Member
    Matt Balzer
    @MattBalzer

    Midget Faded Rattlesnake (View Comment):
    I think my main reaction to the Bubble Quiz is, “Wow, people actually remember all these things about themselves?”

    Now I’m trying to figure out what it is that I did that’s resulting in a score that’s at least 15 more than most of the people who are reporting their scores.

    • #127
  8. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    @JohnEkdahl I live in a city. I wouldn’t want to know people who felt they needed to own a pick up in the city (unless they haul bricks)

    — John Corbett (@CorComm) January 4, 2017

    First of all: “I wouldn’t want to know” certain people based on their choice of vehicle?! How bigoted…. Where does such idiocy end?

    I’m not sure this kind of idiocy has an end.

    FWIW, I scored 51 on the bubble quiz. I don’t drink enough beer to make it worth buying and bringing home,and I’ve cut down on going out for dinner. Oh well…

     

     

    • #128
  9. IreneMettler Inactive
    IreneMettler
    @IreneMettler

    The Bubble Quiz reminds me a lot of high school where you couldn’t be part of the in-crowd if you didn’t use the right words, wear the right clothes, or listen to the right music.

    • #129
  10. Keith Preston Member
    Keith Preston
    @

    67.  Weekly date nights with my wife made a big difference, I expect.

    I read about these tweets and thought of the subtitle of Dana Loesch’s book, Flyover Nation: You can’t run a country you’ve never been to.  She nailed it.  Over the last few weeks, I’ve been watching the YouTube videos of each network’s election night coverage (MSNBC, Young Turks, and ITV had the best meltdowns.  The Brits on ITV were even worse than the Turks.  Unbelievable)

    Had they ever traveled out of the “Acela province” for more than an awards acceptance, they might not have been so shocked.  Meanwhile, I look forward to putting them out of business by encouraging other “flyover people” to starve them of viewers…and thus extinguishing them.

    • #130
  11. Midget Faded Rattlesnake Member
    Midget Faded Rattlesnake
    @Midge

    Matt Balzer (View Comment):

    Midget Faded Rattlesnake (View Comment):
    I think my main reaction to the Bubble Quiz is, “Wow, people actually remember all these things about themselves?”

    Now I’m trying to figure out what it is that I did that’s resulting in a score that’s at least 15 more than most of the people who are reporting their scores.

    Balzer, I never thought I’d say this about you, but maybe you’re just a more mainstream guy than the rest of us weirdos?

    The quiz doesn’t measure how embedded you are in typical “Belmont” culture, either – if you’re neither “typically red” nor “typically blue”, your score might be even lower! Nor is it a comprehensive measure of whether you’ve been sheltered from discomfort or tragedy. It is some sort of estimation of “mainstream-ness”. Balzer, are congratulations or apologies in order? ;-P

    • #131
  12. Duane Oyen Member
    Duane Oyen
    @DuaneOyen

    Besides my brother (my other brother is a wood floors guy, so he uses a big van to protect his stock from weather), and three brothers-in-law?

    We live in Annapolis, about 5 miles from the Sajak Pavilion, and a half hour from Washington DC if you drive it at 3 AM when there is less traffic.  I can look out my window and see 4 neighbors’ pickups parked by their houses.

    That illustrates how small the bubble is- if those tweeter idjits ever left Manhattan or ventured outside the 495 Beltway, they might learn a lot about the USA.

    • #132
  13. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    This reads like a Business School case study on why diversity is critical to an organization.  Their information system is basically inoperable at this point, and probably irreparable.

    Not that I will let my advanced degree from an elite institution color my impression at all.

    • #133
  14. Grimaud Inactive
    Grimaud
    @Grimaud

    72. Kind of proud of it. I am a physician who owns an F-250 Supercrew FX4 King Ranch with matching shell, winch and gun vault with dog kennel. I hunt regularly. I served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years. My parents were blue collar and clerical. I read classic literature and trashier stuff. I do not watch NASCAR anymore but knew enough that Jimmie/Jimmy Johnson was either the old Dallas coach or owner(similar name Jerry Jones) or the NASCAR guy. I don’t watch much TV except DVR’d news or sports. I live in Louisiana so am a food snob and do not frequent chain restaurants.

    The point to me was the apparent immediate disdain exhibited by the journalists. No insult should be taken simply by the query. It should be an opportunity for introspection and improvement. The bigotry on their part is active. The truck question was more passive but taken as provocative. Whereas,  I would feel ignorant or lesser if someone asked if I had read much “Chaucer”, if I had not. I would react demurely and not with disdain, realizing there were experiential gaps in my person. If I were really bothered, I would go to Amazon and purchase the literature to broaden myself.

    • #134
  15. Kent Lyon Member
    Kent Lyon
    @NanoceltTheContrarian

    A more interesting question: Did you know that imported pickup trucks are saddled with a 25% tariff? And thus that all pickups in the US are 25% more expensive than they otherwise would be? Instead of paying $40,000+ for that Chevy Colorado diesel Z71 you should be paying no more than $30,000. That ought to outrage all those pickup truck owners who paid too much. Further, did you know that the TPP  lowers that tariff on pickups…. over 20 YEARS!!! So much for free trade under the TPP.  AS a septuagenerian, I won’t live to see the benefit. Then again, how many rice farmers in America export to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, or Vietnam?  What does the TPP say about rice exports/imports?

    • #135
  16. Grimaud Inactive
    Grimaud
    @Grimaud

    Kent,

    Why is a domestic truck also saddled with tarif?

    Most of those Toyotas are built here aren’t they?

    Kent Lyon (View Comment):
    A more interesting question: Did you know that imported pickup trucks are saddled with a 25% tariff? And thus that all pickups in the US are 25% more expensive than they otherwise would be? Instead of paying $40,000+ for that Chevy Colorado diesel Z71 you should be paying no more than $30,000. That ought to outrage all those pickup truck owners who paid too much. Further, did you know that the TPP lowers that tariff on pickups…. over 20 YEARS!!! So much for free trade under the TPP. AS a septuagenerian, I won’t live to see the benefit. Then again, how many rice farmers in America export to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, or Vietnam? What does the TPP say about rice exports/imports?

     

    • #136
  17. skipsul Inactive
    skipsul
    @skipsul

    Kent Lyon (View Comment):
    A more interesting question: Did you know that imported pickup trucks are saddled with a 25% tariff? And thus that all pickups in the US are 25% more expensive than they otherwise would be? Instead of paying $40,000+ for that Chevy Colorado diesel Z71 you should be paying no more than $30,000. That ought to outrage all those pickup truck owners who paid too much. Further, did you know that the TPP lowers that tariff on pickups…. over 20 YEARS!!! So much for free trade under the TPP. AS a septuagenerian, I won’t live to see the benefit. Then again, how many rice farmers in America export to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, or Vietnam? What does the TPP say about rice exports/imports?

    The Chicken Tax – I know it well.

    Ford makes its Transit Vans, and Fiat / Dodge makes its Promaster vans in Turkey because they sell these vehicles on the world market. (blame the EPA for getting rid of the venerable and sturdy E-Series vans).  Even though MOST are sold as empty white box vans, they ALL come in with full rows of seats and windows to avoid the Chicken Tax, then are stripped of those things (which are destroyed) as soon as they are cleared through customs.  Destroying all of that property is still cheaper than paying the Chicken Tax.

    • #137
  18. Matt Balzer Member
    Matt Balzer
    @MattBalzer

    Midget Faded Rattlesnake (View Comment):

    Matt Balzer (View Comment):

    Midget Faded Rattlesnake (View Comment):
    I think my main reaction to the Bubble Quiz is, “Wow, people actually remember all these things about themselves?”

    Now I’m trying to figure out what it is that I did that’s resulting in a score that’s at least 15 more than most of the people who are reporting their scores.

    Balzer, I never thought I’d say this about you, but maybe you’re just a more mainstream guy than the rest of us weirdos?

    The quiz doesn’t measure how embedded you are in typical “Belmont” culture, either – if you’re neither “typically red” nor “typically blue”, your score might be even lower! Nor is it a comprehensive measure of whether you’ve been sheltered from discomfort or tragedy. It is some sort of estimation of “mainstream-ness”. Balzer, are congratulations or apologies in order? ;-P

    So I did see three of the movies on the list, but I can’t believe those are weighted that heavily. I think it’s either having grown up in a rural area or having the friend who couldn’t get above a C even if they tried. Although I’m not sure about that, I don’t know if they were trying as it was.

    • #138
  19. Midget Faded Rattlesnake Member
    Midget Faded Rattlesnake
    @Midge

    Matt Balzer (View Comment):
    Although I’m not sure about that, I don’t know if they were trying as it was.

    Haha! Yeah, I couldn’t say, yes, I knew friends like that in high school.

    I had some close friends in elementary school who probably grew into guys who might be described that way, but we moved away from each other before high school, so I don’t know.

    But then, I went to a large high school, with many tracks, and I’m not sure who wouldn’t be able to get better than C in something by applying some combination of effort and dropping down to a lower track. My homeroom contained a girl with fairly extensive brain-damage, and she was still getting decent grades in her Special Ed classes.

    • #139
  20. GLDIII Reagan
    GLDIII
    @GLDIII

    Cow Girl (View Comment):
    65 …But that is because I lived on a dairy farm for the first 18 years of my life. I’ve lived in the city mostly after that, but because we were in the military in the Carter years, we were technically in “poverty” so that’s another factor. My dream car was a Chevy Suburban because I had five children. We’ve always owned a pick-up truck because Mr. CowGirl was a rancher and I was farmer. We learned early how useful a truck can be.

    Is there not a musical that says you two should not be mixing? More or less having five children together….

    • #140
  21. Kephalithos Member
    Kephalithos
    @Kephalithos

    Nine!

    Have I won a prize?

    • #141
  22. Midget Faded Rattlesnake Member
    Midget Faded Rattlesnake
    @Midge

    GLDIII (View Comment):

    Cow Girl (View Comment):
    65 …But that is because I lived on a dairy farm for the first 18 years of my life. I’ve lived in the city mostly after that, but because we were in the military in the Carter years, we were technically in “poverty” so that’s another factor. My dream car was a Chevy Suburban because I had five children. We’ve always owned a pick-up truck because Mr. CowGirl was a rancher and I was farmer. We learned early how useful a truck can be.

    Is there not a musical that says you two should not be mixing? More or less having five children together….

    • #142
  23. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Matt Balzer (View Comment):

    AmishDude (View Comment):

    Valiuth (View Comment):
    But, don’t they have some justification for feeling put upon by questions that are dripping with self righteousness?

    That’s the “doth protest too much” part of it. Obviously this inferred accusation bothers them. Why?

    It’s because they’ve been trained, since college, to think of themselves as white knights for the “little guy”. I’m sure Marxist professors still to this day talk about the “working class” unironically.

    With this question, the inference they take is that they have undisguised contempt for the “little guy” and it truly bothers them.

    I get that feeling when people are talking about unions, too. Outside of maybe teachers’ unions, do these people actually know anyone in a union?

    It’s like people who lament the loss of “good factory jobs”.  Most of them wouldn’t be caught dead working in a factory.

    • #143
  24. TKC1101 Member
    TKC1101
    @

    Glenn Reynolds has an interesting take on this in USA Today

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/01/05/gentry-liberals-trump-college-campuses-elite-glenn-reynolds-column/96155458/

    • #144
  25. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Keith Preston (View Comment):
    67. Weekly date nights with my wife made a big difference, I expect.

    I read about these tweets and thought of the subtitle of Dana Loesch’s book, Flyover Nation: You can’t run a country you’ve never been to. She nailed it. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been watching the YouTube videos of each network’s election night coverage (MSNBC, Young Turks, and ITV had the best meltdowns. The Brits on ITV were even worse than the Turks. Unbelievable)

    Had they ever traveled out of the “Acela province” for more than an awards acceptance, they might not have been so shocked. Meanwhile, I look forward to putting them out of business by encouraging other “flyover people” to starve them of viewers…and thus extinguishing them.

    For years the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (*in Cleveland) held its induction ceremonies in New York because they couldn’t get enough celebs to go to Cleveland.

    • #145
  26. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Kent Lyon (View Comment):
    Did you know that imported pickup trucks are saddled with a 25% tariff? And thus that all pickups in the US are 25% more expensive than they otherwise would be? Instead of paying $40,000+ for that Chevy Colorado diesel Z71 you should be paying no more than $30,000.

    $30k to 40k would be a 33% increase, not 25%.

     

    • #146
  27. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Grimaud (View Comment):
    Why is a domestic truck also saddled with tarif?

    Most of those Toyotas are built here aren’t they?

    Domestic would not be saddled with a tarriff.  But tarrifs on competitive imports would tend to raise prices by the amount of the tarrif.

    It’s like the “genius” idea I see spouted every few years about having a variable gasoline tax that only kicks in when the price of gas falls below a certain price floor.  If the gasoline retailers were going to have to charge the floor price anyway, why would they ever let the price fall below it (and trigger the tax) if they’re just going to have to give the extra money to the government instead of keeping it for themselves?

    • #147
  28. Archie Campbell Member
    Archie Campbell
    @ArchieCampbell

    Spin (View Comment):

    Matt Balzer (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):
    I did Murray’s bubble quiz a while back. And when it asked me something like “Have you ever stuffed your fridge full of coors light”, I stopped taking it. I don’t live in a bubble, and I don’t drink sh***y beer. The quiz is broken.

    Clearly you must have, otherwise how could you have an opinion on it?

    I must have what? Stuffed my fridge full of coors light? No. I have drank it, yes. But if given a choice I don’t buy it.

    If it makes you feel any better, the quiz linked to in that NPR article just says domestic beer. So it might be safe for you to take.

    • #148
  29. Matt Balzer Member
    Matt Balzer
    @MattBalzer

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Keith Preston (View Comment):
    67. Weekly date nights with my wife made a big difference, I expect.

    I read about these tweets and thought of the subtitle of Dana Loesch’s book, Flyover Nation: You can’t run a country you’ve never been to. She nailed it. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been watching the YouTube videos of each network’s election night coverage (MSNBC, Young Turks, and ITV had the best meltdowns. The Brits on ITV were even worse than the Turks. Unbelievable)

    Had they ever traveled out of the “Acela province” for more than an awards acceptance, they might not have been so shocked. Meanwhile, I look forward to putting them out of business by encouraging other “flyover people” to starve them of viewers…and thus extinguishing them.

    For years the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (*in Cleveland) held its induction ceremonies in New York because they couldn’t get enough celebs to go to Cleveland.

    I can sort of understand that, but I don’t want to go to New York either.

    • #149
  30. Stephen Dawson Inactive
    Stephen Dawson
    @StephenDawson

    47. Difficult to translate to Australia.

    • #150
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