So yesterday I am sitting at a stop light doing one of my favorite activities….
Reading bumper stickers.
Not surprisingly, the impatient guy in the red BMW behind me jolts me out of my stupor and I drive through the intersection, once again pondering, what makes someone want to label themselves on the back of their cars?
I will admit it, I find it fascinating….
This is who they are.
This is how they want to be perceived.
They want to be singled out based on these affiliations.
Animal Lovers seem to have a particular affinity to showing their love for their pets, especially in my world.
There is the generic approach as in I love all domesticated animals in my household. Must be a dual species home — dogs and cats or maybe multi species — mammals, rodents, reptiles and birds. The mystery remains. What does this sticker really mean?
Then there is the simple, “I just love animals with paws.”
Or animals with paws and floppy ears.
Then there is the simple approach. Need I say more?
In my informal survey, dog stickers make up about 50% of all car stickers, at least in my home town.
There is also the “dogs have a good perspective” approach….
Or, dogs can let down their hair and be crazed approach..
Or dogs can have a political perspective too…
Is there an expectation that these drivers will be thought of differently and therefore treated differently amidst traffic jams and road rage, simply because they love their dogs? Maybe? I know the guy in the red BMW didn’t have a puppy sticker on his bumper.
We define ourselves by our labels
We are a parent, an employee, a partner, an animal lover.
We drive this kind of car,
Live in this kind of neighborhood,
Do these activities in our spare time,
Vote for these politicians,
Have children who attend these schools.
Wear these kinds of clothes.
Is this really who we are?
More to come …
Oh wait, I can’t resist one more…..
I am assuming that the gentleman and who owns this car, doesn’t drive to Boston too often.
