Saturday, March 10, 2007
College town stickerology
In case it isn't already obvious, Princeton is the sort of place where people who park Honda SUVs in front of a supermarket that devotes huge shelf space to delectible imported foods see nothing inconsistent in a bumper sticker that says "Support Your Local Everything." This is the second such bumper sticker I have seen today (the first one on a Chevrolet Suburban, which is only marginally more "local" than a Honda Pilot).
This is the only city in New Jersey that is famous among elites in every corner of the world, in which prestige most Princeton residents -- including me -- take great pleasure. Princetonians thrive on globalization, and manifestly delight in its benefits. But their bumper stickers say they hate every minute of it.
Go figure.
11 Comments:
By 
Purple Avenger, at
Sat Mar 10, 08:56:00 PM:
What a boost for the KKK and serial killers.
By Unknown, at
Sat Mar 10, 09:15:00 PM:
This is pretty funny, and quite likely even consciously so.
Another one I've been thinking of getting myself says:
"Bumper Stickers Are Not The Answer!"
By Biotunes, at
Sat Mar 10, 10:24:00 PM:
And where the hell else are they supposed to shop in Princeton? The main obstacle to buying locally is that every store is so damn national most of us don't have any place to do it. How do you know those people don't buy locally whenever they have the chance, and aren't working to increase opportunities for local buying? I find nothing inconsistent with buying imported stuff while trying your best to get staples as locally as possible, which is what I do. I'm not going to find locally grown capers anytime soon, but you can be damn sure I'm not going to buy beef from Paraguay. Of course it is all made harder by food industry lobbying to resist point-of-origin labelling.
Meanwhile, everyone has to eat.
By TigerHawk, at
Sun Mar 11, 08:54:00 AM:
Well, they didn't buy locally when they bought an SUV.
As I wrote, these stickers are all over town. That would make sense if this were, say, Kalona, Iowa. It makes no sense in Princeton, where virtually everybody, right down to the shopkeepers, are incredibly wired in to the global economy.
By jon spencer, at
Sun Mar 11, 10:09:00 AM:
I do believe that most of the Honda Pilots are built in the USA or at least most of the assembly is done here.
By TigerHawk, at
Sun Mar 11, 11:33:00 AM:
They are assembled in Ontario and Alabama.
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Sun Mar 11, 05:20:00 PM:
The bumper stickers aren't local either. But for the lower globalized price, you can buy your self-righteousness cheaper.
By La Cot, at
Mon Mar 12, 02:24:00 PM:
Ah, dear old Princeton, always good for these sorts of things :) Shall have to keep an eye peeled for the stickerology on our next visit--haven't yet encountered any juxtapositions quite as amusing in Minneapolis.
By 
, at
Mon Mar 12, 03:59:00 PM:
I saw a window sticker in a car that read VIZIALIZE WHILRED PEAS and SIERRA CLUB KISS MY AX
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Mar 13, 11:39:00 AM:
For several years there was a family in town with a silver Mercedes SUV and a bumper sticker that said "The best things in life aren't things." A good and true sentiment to be sure, but out of step with the vehicle.
By Simon Kenton, at
Thu May 15, 10:15:00 AM:
A friend threatens to market a bumper sticker that says "Responsible Use of Nuclear Weapons." I think it's a winner, but it needs to go on older vehicles that you don't mind having keyed. There's something about pacifism and leftery that manifests in sneak attacks.
