Hollywood's so-called obsession with the Prius
When I saw the AutoWeek headline, Starring Role: Hollywood's love affair with Toyota's Prius continues, I thought why are the autorags so against hybrids? I'm pretty confident that every time a hybrid has been the lead story on AutoWeek's home page, it has always included a negative headline, yet some gas-guzzler can always take the cover guilt free.
So what if some members of Hollywood promote the Toyota Prius hybrid car - it's an awesome car if you believe in ending foreign oil dependency. It's an awesome vehicle if you are trying to help the environment. Yet, what percentage of automobile spots in Hollywood productions are reserved for the Prius, or any hybrid cars, for that matter? Not many.
Fortunately, the article wasn't really negative and I guess it is about the most positive press that can be expected from AutoWeek, whose editors seem to hate hybrids.
Sports cars and big gas-guzzling vehicles are the normal Hollywood prop, and what message do they send? That Americans are above the rest of the world? That America doesn't have to worry about the environment? That America is so great we can act stupid just to show the rest of the world how omnipotent America is?
Well America's materialistic greed has had consequences and it will continue to have consequences. Actions cannot continue to be judged only by how cool one looks, or at least how cool one thinks they look, but by the consequences of their actions.
Oil put America in Saudi Arabia and Bin Laden attacked because of it. Oil put America in Iraq and thousands of Americans have died because of it. Oil has made America Enemy Number 1 in the eyes of much of the world.
Hybrids, such as the Prius, the Toyota Highlander hybrid, or the Ford Escape hybrid might not be cost-effective for the average American yet. Still, somehow, they seem more cost effective than risking GM and Ford bankruptcy, energy shortages, oil wars, funding terrorism and the war on terror.
A recent study claimed that America could save as much as a trillion dollars by ending foreign oil dependency. So are hybrids really that expensive? Yet the government puts limits on hybrid vehicle tax deductions as it gives billions of tax payer dollars to the oil industry.
Ultimately, buying a hybrid means you are willing to fund a change and that's a statement that should cause pride. What kind of a statement does buying a Hummer or gas guzzler really make?
So what if some members of Hollywood promote the Toyota Prius hybrid car - it's an awesome car if you believe in ending foreign oil dependency. It's an awesome vehicle if you are trying to help the environment. Yet, what percentage of automobile spots in Hollywood productions are reserved for the Prius, or any hybrid cars, for that matter? Not many.
Fortunately, the article wasn't really negative and I guess it is about the most positive press that can be expected from AutoWeek, whose editors seem to hate hybrids.
Sports cars and big gas-guzzling vehicles are the normal Hollywood prop, and what message do they send? That Americans are above the rest of the world? That America doesn't have to worry about the environment? That America is so great we can act stupid just to show the rest of the world how omnipotent America is?
Well America's materialistic greed has had consequences and it will continue to have consequences. Actions cannot continue to be judged only by how cool one looks, or at least how cool one thinks they look, but by the consequences of their actions.
Oil put America in Saudi Arabia and Bin Laden attacked because of it. Oil put America in Iraq and thousands of Americans have died because of it. Oil has made America Enemy Number 1 in the eyes of much of the world.
Hybrids, such as the Prius, the Toyota Highlander hybrid, or the Ford Escape hybrid might not be cost-effective for the average American yet. Still, somehow, they seem more cost effective than risking GM and Ford bankruptcy, energy shortages, oil wars, funding terrorism and the war on terror.
A recent study claimed that America could save as much as a trillion dollars by ending foreign oil dependency. So are hybrids really that expensive? Yet the government puts limits on hybrid vehicle tax deductions as it gives billions of tax payer dollars to the oil industry.
Ultimately, buying a hybrid means you are willing to fund a change and that's a statement that should cause pride. What kind of a statement does buying a Hummer or gas guzzler really make?
Labels: Escape hybrid, Ford, Ford Escape hybrid, Foreign Oil Dependency, GM, Highlander hybrid, Hybrid Vehicles, prius, toyota
posted by Dahcredyns at
12:12 PM
6 Comments:
really now? so what are you so outrageous about? hmm..let me think..
Nice post Jenny - I bet. How much thought and effort did you put into that? Can't believe you didn't add a link to your autoparts site again.
That was a very interesting and informative article dahcredyns, my hat's off to you.
but do you really have to be so hostile? ranting about it doesnt really help does it? we should be glad that at least the Hybrids are getting attention, and in its current state of "likeablity" i'd say that any form of attention is good attention for the Hybrids.
I believe that all this publicity being given on hybrids such as the Prius and the Highlander hybrid will have other car enthusiasts wanting to know more and maybe get to like and appreciate them.
You cant blame america for wanting the big, sporty, chick magnet *chuckles* gas guzzlers that sports cars epitomize, ask any guy you know.
But having this kind of publicity will somehow help people realize what the hybrids are really here for... to help ensure that our children will enjoy the same healthy planet we grew up in.
off topic:
please, dont preach to us that the reason thousands of americans died in iraq and the reason why that f*cked up osama bin laden did what he did was because of america wanting oil, were not that dumb, so stick to what you know, that way we'll respect you more.
The auto industry in general and most auto writers are NOT very supportive of hybrid vehicles, so I do rant sometimes, my apologies.
The hostility was specific to the post. I don't see the Hollywood obsession. To me that article was intended to tie hybrids with Hollywood - a group not currently well respected by Middle America. Thus, hybrids are just another silly, leftist, Hollywood scam.
I promote hybrid cars mostly because of one issue, foreign oil dependency. In my opinion, and the opinion of a number of exCIA directors and NSA officials, the connection between Bin Laden and oil is very clear. I guess they don't know what they are talking about either?
Are you saying there is no connection between oil, Iraq and terrorism?
Why does America have a presence in Saudi Arabia? Why do we maintain a massive presence in the Middle East, to protect Israel?
The need for cheap oil has forced America to attempt to manipulate much of the Middle East. Any expert on Saudi Arabia can tell you that Royal Family isn't very kind to the average citizen in Saudi Arabia and America's influence and collusion with the Royal Family has been mentioned by Bin Laden - that is fact.
Additionally, it is a fact that oil money did fund terrorism.
Why did we once support Saddam? Have we been influencing the politics of the Middle East, because we were worried that Iran was going to launch a sneak attack on America or Europe?
What, aside from oil, has kept America's interest in the Middle East for the last several decades?
I am not criticizing the war in Iraq. I have absolute respect for the soldiers risking their lives in that country, and I do believe that success in Iraq could make the world a much better place.
Nonetheless, it saddens me greatly that more than 2,000 Americans have died because America's oil addiction has helped create a very dangerous Middle East.
We were put on notice in '74, but since then fuel economy has not changed as demand for foreign oil has grown every year.
What will it take to get Americans to act just a little bit more responsible? Do we have no responsibility for the consequences of our actions?
Will 9/11, Iraq, Katrina be enough to get America to think a little differently about oil?
No. Instead Congress wants to add more refineries, drill in Alaska, and give billions of tax payer dollars to oil companies that are now profiting as much as $10 billion per quarter, but we still won't raise fuel economy standards - so excuse me for being angry.
Corporate ineptitude and greed have put the well-being of the average American in extreme danger - yet the rich have gotten richer as the poor have gotten poorer.
I am kind of late on this to leave a comment, but since it came up, I'll say my part. The 4-stroke Otto cyccle piston engine is a 130 yr old technology. Hybrids, or any electric vehicle is technology that's much newer. And as I say in my blog, even the most of cars out there sell you old technology packaged in a shiny outfit with other irrelevant gadgetry. It's like buying a computer from 1950s in a new packaging and all.
You can read my views here: http://priuspride.blogspot.com
better late than never!
at least since then the autorags have become more open-minded to hybrids! keep up the blogging!
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