Apr 1, 2009 2
Changing Habits by Being Cool
Something I’ve noticed in the past few years is that prevailing trends in style and fashion seem to support activities that are beneficial to adapting to changing conditions. The three things that pop into my mind are utilitarian bicycling, the demise of the conspicuous SUV, and gardening. The evidence I’m about to present is by no means scientifically gathered — these are just observations.
First, bicycling. We saw this take off a few years ago — I was just as caught up in it as anyone. It seemed as gasoline started its steady rise through the $2 a gallon range, young people decided there was a better way around, and it was even cool. Especially as gas marched up to $4 a gallon. Enter the retro hipster bike, and its most hardcore incarnation, the fixed gear. Now biking to work has become almost mainstream when it’s realistic. There was a period where it was simply cool to do it, and that changed everyone’s attitude. The people who ridiculed the idea were cast retrograde. Perceptions had changed.
Enter the demise of Hummer, the harbinger of the end of the oil age. Hummer will be a consumer brand for less than a decade. Production of the H2 began in 2003. With the onset of the Iraq War these things were uber popular as a brash symbol of patriotism and support for the troops. The best part, they drove the liberals crazy. It wasn’t long before fuh2.com was created, and the tide turned against Hummer. Look at them now. The Hummer brand will likely be sold by GM, or simply scuttled.
Finally, gardening. With the rise of farmers’ markets, organics, and just an overall heightened awareness of what we eat and how it makes it to our plate, gardening is becoming cool. Community gardens are very popular (at least in my neck of the woods), and the First Lady commissioned a vegetable garden at the White House this year, the first one since the Victory Gardens of the 40’s. I’ll point to the 2009 inaugural post of the Strib’s Garden Blog — I’m going to follow the comments today. It looks to me like more people are becoming interested in what my friend last night called “the biggest FU thing you can do.” Who needs Super Target when you can just step out into the backyard?
What about seasonality you ask? Well, here’s the best sign I have that things are changing: My 13 year old nephew did his science fair project on canning this year. He made it to the State Science and Engineering Fair, and walked away with the Silver Medal for the 7th and 8th grade competition.
There’s a stalking horse in our midst… The times they are a’changing.
