Upon moving to one of the poorest states in the country, I noticed something very peculiar: Per capita I would say New Mexico, or specifically Albuquerque, has the nicest cars I’ve seen moseying their way through traffic. This always perplexed me, knowing the economic consequences of owning a car, ANY car for that matter, and assuming every person I pass on my way to work does not hold a Ph.D. and earn a six-figure salary. If the showroom-floor Escalades, BMW’s, and an occasional Porsche or Ferrari weren’t enough, cars here come complete with hundreds of dollars worth of 22 inch rims and window tinting. Living in Charlotte, North Carolina—also known as the banking capital of the world (but for how long, I wonder?)—for eight years of my previous life chapter, one would expect to see fine, luxurious specimens of exotic automobile engineering. But Albuquerque frickin’ New Mexico? Don’t misunderstand me—I absolutely love this state, and what initially attracted me to it was that the best things about it are free. (Except the food, that’s worth every hard-earned penny.) But I’m afraid a majority of the populous have some insecurity issues, so own brand new off-the-lot $60,000 cars to compensate for it, even if it means the money isn’t going to your kids’ college education or to relocating to a safer neighborhood. If the rationale is that of status and you make sacrifices to prove something insignificant, that Ford Festiva might not be looking’ so bad after all. We should embrace the fact that we have more culture and friendlier people than the other 49 states all sloppily combined. And that, unlike that new car you can’t afford to make people believe the 505 is an extension of the 90210, is priceless.
That's Just Car-Azy
That's Just Car-Azy
Adam Fox
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2 min read
