We, as a collective, like to imagine that we have a choice. Choice in the clothes that we wear, choice in the music we listen to and choice in the car we drive. Indeed, in a way, we do.
These choices that we are granted come as a package. A pre-approved, validated list, sifted through by those that have been deemed to know better than us.
But does this actually provide us the gift of choice, or are we held to a higher standard that keeps us within a controlled boundary? We strive to be different, unique, but choosing from a predetermined palate leaves us to live different only from those immediately surrounding you. You may be different from your neighbor, and your neighbors neighbor, but cross-over to the other side of the street, and you may find that you’re not as different as you once may have thought.
The current market does not offer as much “uniqueness” as we may have once imagined. Working at a dealer, I constantly, “I want the Sparkling Silver, not the Silky Silver, if you can’t do that for me, I guess I will have to take my business elsewhere.” Almost as if we’re expecting our color choice to be the deciding factor in crossing us over the barrier that St. Peter so rigorously guards with his devout color palate.
Electing to for the Sparkling Silver over the Silky Silver on your mid-size SUV that is, let face it, no more special than anyone else’s, does not make your vehicle ascend over any other. Perhaps you were extra ballsy, and decided to go with the Titanium Silver, or, if you truly were feeling risqué and stepping out of the boundaries, you might even spring for the Platinum Graphite. Regardless of this, try to find your “unique” color in the lot, you will notice there is no real choice in the matter.
Needless to say, what I am getting at here is our illusion of choice has been slowly dwindling down to the proverbial splitting of hairs. Our choices are dwindling and we are happy to watch it happen.
Bring some life back to our streets, you’re only leasing that Explorer for three years, might as well make it easy to find in the parking lot for the remainder of the time.