4 ms·

Honestly I think the target market for Cummins sees this as a good thing. From a twisted coal-roller perspective, the company tried to own the ’libs and stupid

by nikanj 3y ago

Honestly I think the target market for Cummins sees this as a good thing. From a twisted coal-roller perspective, the company tried to own the ’libs and stupid democrats are punishing them for no reason.

iancmceachern 3y ago
I totally disagree. This is a hurtful stereotype. I saw a thing recently that "white trash" is the last disenfranchised socioeconomic group that it's ok to make fun of in polite society. It's not. I am a professional, educated, respectable, respectful adult man. I drive a diesel truck because my wife and I have a large RV which we travel in visiting friends and relatives all over the country. There are millions and millions of people like me. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, judges, etc. And even if some of us are hillbillies like you imply. They're OK too. Passing judgement is passing judgement. This is no better than a comment putting someone down for their country of birth or some other discriminatory thing.
- woodruffw 3y ago
  The GP didn't mention "white trash." Your comment, while sensitive and reasonable, is talking past them. I've spent a decent amount of time in and around small towns, and I've encountered my fair share of coal rollers (including people who demonstrated visible glee at seeing a target on a bicycle). Those people do make the kind of purchasing decisions that are aligned with this corporate behavior; companies are often incentivized to target their most "extreme" purchasing base, knowing that more moderate consumers (like yourself) will shrug either way.
  - iancmceachern 3y ago
    Thank you. Yes they do, but those people aren't buying new $90k trucks. They aren't driving the marketing department of a billion dollar company. Let's be honest here, they're buying old wrecked stuff and fixing it up. If you go shopping for these new trucks, really, they're selling them to ranch owners, construction company foreman, lineman, etc. They're sold in trims like "King Ranch", and platinum. You can't get all the coal rolling crap at the dealers. They aren't connected. It would be like conflating the street racing scene with what features Honda was adding to the new civic. They're just world's apart. Anyone remotely associated with these cultures knows that.
    - woodruffw 3y ago
      Truck owners run the full gamut: I've had people roll coal on me in both old and new trucks, and I have plenty of friends with both old and new trucks. I think the more interesting point is about marketing: companies do market to their extremes, and truck (and adjacent) manufacturers have pivoted towards larger, more internally spacious, more expensive/luxury featured, "meaner looking" trucks knowing that the core of their market doesn't care either way. This is true for every other car style too; what sets trucks apart is primarily their size and incongruity in some purchasing segments (e.g. the $90K luxury-complemented truck that's used for family grocery runs).
- dghlsakjg 3y ago
  To be fair, a judge with $100k+ of diesel powered RV isn’t white trash. That’s just Clarence Thomas.
  - iancmceachern 3y ago
    I wasn't referring to him. I was referring to regular people judges from Wyoming, etc. I know one from Arizona.
  - yencabulator 3y ago
    Clarence Thomas drives a Prevost motorhome worth something like 3..10x that (I don't think the price on the title was the full market rate for that rig): https://archive.ph/qBxHY https://archive.ph/qBxHY
- anigbrowl 3y ago
  I have zero objection to someone driving a diesel truck, there are lots of circumstances where someone might need one. I have significant objections to people who choose to pollute, and I think that's who the GP comment was going after.

by nikanj 3y ago

iancmceachern 3y ago

I totally disagree. This is a hurtful stereotype. I saw a thing recently that "white trash" is the last disenfranchised socioeconomic group that it's ok to make fun of in polite society. It's not. I am a professional, educated, respectable, respectful adult man. I drive a diesel truck because my wife and I have a large RV which we travel in visiting friends and relatives all over the country. There are millions and millions of people like me. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, judges, etc. And even if some of us are hillbillies like you imply. They're OK too. Passing judgement is passing judgement. This is no better than a comment putting someone down for their country of birth or some other discriminatory thing.

woodruffw 3y ago
The GP didn't mention "white trash." Your comment, while sensitive and reasonable, is talking past them. I've spent a decent amount of time in and around small towns, and I've encountered my fair share of coal rollers (including people who demonstrated visible glee at seeing a target on a bicycle). Those people do make the kind of purchasing decisions that are aligned with this corporate behavior; companies are often incentivized to target their most "extreme" purchasing base, knowing that more moderate consumers (like yourself) will shrug either way.
- iancmceachern 3y ago
  Thank you. Yes they do, but those people aren't buying new $90k trucks. They aren't driving the marketing department of a billion dollar company. Let's be honest here, they're buying old wrecked stuff and fixing it up. If you go shopping for these new trucks, really, they're selling them to ranch owners, construction company foreman, lineman, etc. They're sold in trims like "King Ranch", and platinum. You can't get all the coal rolling crap at the dealers. They aren't connected. It would be like conflating the street racing scene with what features Honda was adding to the new civic. They're just world's apart. Anyone remotely associated with these cultures knows that.
  - woodruffw 3y ago
    Truck owners run the full gamut: I've had people roll coal on me in both old and new trucks, and I have plenty of friends with both old and new trucks. I think the more interesting point is about marketing: companies do market to their extremes, and truck (and adjacent) manufacturers have pivoted towards larger, more internally spacious, more expensive/luxury featured, "meaner looking" trucks knowing that the core of their market doesn't care either way. This is true for every other car style too; what sets trucks apart is primarily their size and incongruity in some purchasing segments (e.g. the $90K luxury-complemented truck that's used for family grocery runs).
dghlsakjg 3y ago
To be fair, a judge with $100k+ of diesel powered RV isn’t white trash. That’s just Clarence Thomas.
- iancmceachern 3y ago
  I wasn't referring to him. I was referring to regular people judges from Wyoming, etc. I know one from Arizona.
- yencabulator 3y ago
  Clarence Thomas drives a Prevost motorhome worth something like 3..10x that (I don't think the price on the title was the full market rate for that rig): https://archive.ph/qBxHY https://archive.ph/qBxHY
anigbrowl 3y ago
I have zero objection to someone driving a diesel truck, there are lots of circumstances where someone might need one. I have significant objections to people who choose to pollute, and I think that's who the GP comment was going after.