No, I was nailing you for being intolerant of a group of people based on assumptions that had no merit. Specifically, your claim that yuppies bought big vehicles out of fear. I know my share of yuppies, and I don’t know a single one who is afraid to drive in traffic.
You want to know why yuppies buy SUV’s? I’ll tell you. Because when you own a home and have a family they are DAMNED useful. And they don’t carry the stigma of a station wagon or minivan. So if anything, SUV’s are purchased because people need something practical, but don’t want to lose that MACHO youth thing.
I don’t know how old you are, but it can be a pretty rude awakening when the day comes when you finally have to admit that the Camaro or Mustang or whatever has to go, and what you need is basically a wood-panelled station wagon like your nerdy parents had. SUV’s and modern minivans came along and said, “Hey, you can be practical and still be cool!” It’s the opposite of fear, and plenty of yuppies have an SUV in the garage and a motorcycle for nice days.
As for being unpatriotic unless you go out of your way to continue consuming as if nothing happened - who are YOU to make that judgement? The patriotic thing to do is to act rationally and do the right thing for your family, friends, co-workers and society, in that order. For some people, that may mean deciding that they are a little over-extended, and now with the uncertainty in the world it might be a good time to cut back. It might mean deciding to postpone that trip to Disneyland, because you’re really not in the mood now anyway, and you don’t want to run the risk of being away from home when another attack comes, the airlines get grounded for a week, and you get stranded.
And you know what? If that attack DOES come, then being at home where you can look after yourself instead of being in a strange city where you become a burden on the aid effort is a GOOD thing.
The government is telling people to get out and spend because it is trying to build up confidence in the economy. They don’t want any panics. That’s their job. YOUR job is to listen to that message and weigh it against your own circumstances and make the best decisions that you can.
And to stop whining about people who don’t make the same choices. In case it has escaped your notice, the diversity of and freedom of choice in the United States is its greatest strength. Accept it.
