Comments on: The Chrysler Peapod, The Reason Innovation Gets a Bad Name http://www.ethnography.com/2009/11/the-chrysler-peapod-the-reason-innovation-gets-a-bad-name/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-chrysler-peapod-the-reason-innovation-gets-a-bad-name A group blog on a wide variety of topics realted to anthropology Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:46:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Rick http://www.ethnography.com/2009/11/the-chrysler-peapod-the-reason-innovation-gets-a-bad-name/comment-page-1/#comment-5339 Rick Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:18:18 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=434#comment-5339 This is a late entry, as I'm just scanning old posts, but I think there is a central issue that may be at the heart of this: a kind of contempt for others. The people designing this car probably would never want something like it, but they probably don't have a very high opinion of the 'granola eating, tree hugging, art fags' that would. I've found this kind of paternalistic attitude in my urban work. People in the middle class and government agencies have similarly strange notions of people living in low-income communities. They come to me and ask me what makes these people tick, and I'm like, "they like sidewalks without trash piles on them, street lights that work, and to feel safe; just like you." Then I'm constantly asked to identify the local leaders, and I think how strange it would be to ask someone in a nice, new suburb to identify their neighborhood leaders. I also get this as a vegetarian. I often order the "vegetarian" item, like a veggie burger at a restaurant and it tastes like shit. The person buying the patty and cooking it probably assumes that, because I'm a vegetarian that I don't give a shit what my food tastes like, and must have self-loathing issues. This is a late entry, as I’m just scanning old posts, but I think there is a central issue that may be at the heart of this: a kind of contempt for others. The people designing this car probably would never want something like it, but they probably don’t have a very high opinion of the ‘granola eating, tree hugging, art fags’ that would. I’ve found this kind of paternalistic attitude in my urban work. People in the middle class and government agencies have similarly strange notions of people living in low-income communities. They come to me and ask me what makes these people tick, and I’m like, “they like sidewalks without trash piles on them, street lights that work, and to feel safe; just like you.” Then I’m constantly asked to identify the local leaders, and I think how strange it would be to ask someone in a nice, new suburb to identify their neighborhood leaders.
I also get this as a vegetarian. I often order the “vegetarian” item, like a veggie burger at a restaurant and it tastes like shit. The person buying the patty and cooking it probably assumes that, because I’m a vegetarian that I don’t give a shit what my food tastes like, and must have self-loathing issues.

]]> By: mark http://www.ethnography.com/2009/11/the-chrysler-peapod-the-reason-innovation-gets-a-bad-name/comment-page-1/#comment-3107 mark Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:33:18 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=434#comment-3107 I know Steve, I am just assuming the hydrocephalic squirrel-monkey skull is going to be a one of those design turning points, in much the same way that Apple influences design. I mean Arnell is backing it so it HAS to be the Next Big Thing, right?? Ok, I admit it. I am an old fart: wearing your hat side-ways, your jeans at you knees and an obsession with hydrocephalic squirrel-monkey skulls is something that my generation just does not "get." I know Steve, I am just assuming the hydrocephalic squirrel-monkey skull is going to be a one of those design turning points, in much the same way that Apple influences design. I mean Arnell is backing it so it HAS to be the Next Big Thing, right?? Ok, I admit it. I am an old fart: wearing your hat side-ways, your jeans at you knees and an obsession with hydrocephalic squirrel-monkey skulls is something that my generation just does not “get.”

]]> By: Steve Portigal http://www.ethnography.com/2009/11/the-chrysler-peapod-the-reason-innovation-gets-a-bad-name/comment-page-1/#comment-3104 Steve Portigal Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:41:20 +0000 http://www.ethnography.com/?p=434#comment-3104 Mark, you really get it. At the beginning of the piece you imply that "Looks like the skull of a hydrocephalic squirrel-monkey" is a bad thing, but by the end of the piece you are touting it as a feature. THAT'S some good innovation! PS - typo alert "champion" should be "campaign" I think??? Mark, you really get it. At the beginning of the piece you imply that “Looks like the skull of a hydrocephalic squirrel-monkey” is a bad thing, but by the end of the piece you are touting it as a feature. THAT’S some good innovation!

PS – typo alert “champion” should be “campaign” I think???

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