Yes, we know that our daily grind lacks adventure. We prefer it that way when you get right down to it. Faith Popcorn saw this coming in the 90's and it hit hard an fast... too bad it hasn't left yet.
I'm talking about Cocooning. SearchSecurity.com defines it as "the act of insulating or hiding oneself from the normal social environment, which may be perceived as distracting, unfriendly, dangerous, or otherwise unwelcome, at least for the present.". It seems that driving a headlight-caged SUV is part of a distinct subset of this trend, described by Popcorn as The Armored Cocoon. We can now enjoy the illusion of being a brave adventuress who drives underwater, and our partners are so bold and virile that they take regular mile-high dives just to get to the office.
We've taken the insulation too far. So far, in fact, that our outlet for true adventures are firmly planted in our imagination and limited to our travels through the meanstreets of AnyVille. And since I drive a Miata whose roofline barely reaches halfway up a distracted Soccer Mom's wheel well, I can tell you that the everyday world of insulated families in monster vehicles has become a scary place indeed. I don't need to daydream about parachuting off a rocky cliff to get my daily adrenaline rush. I just need to watch for you, driving-while-phoning.
No comments:
Post a Comment