My husband has a new truck. We needed a 2nd vehicle so we went $12,000. more into debt yesterday. He is very happy. The meaning of a truck to him, is a mixture of things. For one, it’s a guy thing to own a truck. What is the meaning behind that? I can take care of business, I can carry a heavy load, I can move big, heavy things, I have a vehicle that is bigger than yours. I can ride over rough terrain, like on the tv commercials? (rugged, outdoorsman image)
A woman can buy a truck and own a truck, but all the media messages appeal to men, & they are full of what it means to be masculine.
Second, we can move our own “stuff”. If we buy a desk, dresser, bed or dryer, we can load it up into our own vehicle and take it home. Self sufficiency, another male image.
Third, to my husband it means he has the freedom to start his own business again, whenever he would be so inclined. A truck can carry tools, electrical equipment, plumbing pipes and whatever else. A truck can get dirty. It’s not a “girly thing” that has to look pretty.
These images are really funny, how we are sold a line of advertising. In any case, I am glad we have 2 vehicles, and happy to have a truck. Just don’t expect me to ride home to visit family in Indiana, in the tight space called the back seat.
Doctor Grandma 