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• Monday, January 5, 2009 07:32 AM

  This might be the most irritating article I've seen on Salon

  I wouldn't be irritated if the jist of the article was: "I bought an SUV because I wanted one. I really don't care about the environment or what anyone thinks. I'm only one person, anyway." I'd think, "You're an arrogant ass, but, fair enough, you're being honest." But it wasn't that. It was a total exercise in self-justification. "But I NEED one! The rest of you can do the right thing - *I* have 2 kids! So I'm exempted for a while! And I really didn't buy an SUV. Not really."

  I was also irritated about the lack of responsibility for your decision - a classic delusion for justifying your actions - making it seem like it was something that happened TO you, instead of something you did. But you didn't wake up one morning with the thing in your driveway. You actively sought it out and bought it.

  You really need to change your attitude. Personally I'd dislike you less if you said "I know I'm a hypocrite. I'm weak. I really wanted an SUV so I bought one." But you didn't. The SUV rang your doorbell, of it's own volition, in disguise! As soon as it ripped off its mask, you thought "Doh! You fooled me! You're an SUV! Oh well, at least I didn't have any part of the decision or process to purchase you!"

  I don't think I've ever seen a more textbook example of "sell out". You believe SUVs are wrong, but you think you didn't really make an active decision to get one. You didn't even know it WAS one! And they kind of led you around and put the pen in your hand - and what could you do?

  —smallonion Read smallonion's other letters
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