(8/2) Trip Report, Pt. 1: The Car Salesman

I’ve been working on this since 8/2 and decided to break it up into multiple parts so I could keep working instead of constantly getting distracted with edits. This is nominally a trip report in that I am reporting on a trip, but it is more a collection of druggy thoughts.

Something I link to a little further down is the text of a speech on the history of the non-medical use of drugs in the United States. It delves into the origins of drug illegalization, specifically marijuana, without any explicit commentary on what the status should be today. The history clearly points to a pack of lies, but that itself does not entail anything: you can be right for the wrong reasons, although being wrong is more likely. Pro or con, there is something to learn from this link, so here it is again. It’s mostly unrelated to what follows, but so damn interesting.

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“Shrooms are poison, that’s why they make you feel nauseous and hallucinate.” No, they aren’t. They’re just really hard for the human body to digest, which should also make you think. I’ve had these exact same thoughts before, I realize, as I look at pieces of barely digested mushroom float around the toilet in a mélange of juice and bile.

Thursday, 8/2/07 – 10:30pm. T + 60 minutes. Dose: 3.5 grams, Psilocybe cubensis, dried.

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Our man sells a line of luxury automobiles, each of which he knows is at the top of its respective class. Performance, handling, safety, amenities – these cars outshine the competition in every way imaginable. Yet, he has to admit, the main competitor’s cars just have sexier curves. “Oh, it’s all subjective,” some may say, but our man knows better.

He realizes for the first time what a filthy gearhead he is, getting turned on by cars, and is going to have an interesting meeting with his therapist next week.

A couple comes in and there’s an undeniable vibe between the man and his wife: she’s overly possessive and wondering why he really wants a high end car. The sales pitch is 100% accurate, detailing exactly how the car they’re interested in is the best product possible. There’s a subtle slip of the truth normally held to nighttime fantasies: “Yeah, it doesn’t have the same aggressive styling as some other cars, but . . .” The woman picks up on the subtext and this guarantees the sale. If that car doesn’t get sold this second, it’ll be settled at home. Either she forces her side or they get a divorce, but this is of no concern at all to our man. He knows to stay out of the bedroom.

”Stay out of the bedroom” has become a liberal slogan advocating legal acceptance of any number of alternative lifestyles. However, it has existed as sound business advice since the days when the conventional wisdom was “let’s drag gays out of the bedroom and beat them to death to teach’em a lesson.” How do you profit by questioning a woman’s husband about her mysterious bruises? “We run a family business” has always meant “our products are targeted to families, and single people don’t buy crackers.”

It’s the view that treats women as a commodity, and sometimes they are. What group of men is consistently with women who are “out of their league”? Women who seek men with financial stability tend to be looked down upon, but it’s more sensible than looking for a mate with a nice ass. People are routinely bought and sold.

In an alternative universe, the same married man walks onto the floor without his wife and it’s clear exactly what he’s looking for. Standard mid-life crisis: “I’m gonna get a nice car and all the ladies will want me.” Lay off the “it’s not sexy” line. Our man is real good, and knows the exact reason this guy wants the car – regardless of whether or not he knows it. Maybe it has to do with real or perceived pressure from coworkers or friends, not attracting strange tail. Whomever he wants to impress with that car, subtly let him know that it will impress and allow him to fit in with that group.

I often forget that there exist many social groups that intensely care about, and judge, what others drive. I’ve had the experience of getting out of a nice car and thinking “damn, I’m a badass” many times, so I understand the appeal. However, I’ve never been judged (to my face) on the basis of what I drive.

As of 2007, the Prius remains the perfect car. Relatively inexpensive compared to luxury cars, high gas mileage, and it can hobnob with any rich-man’s car without scrutiny.

Is our man an honest person, making an honest living? He knows that he’s selling the best product and – fuck the curves – that’s what counts. It’s the honest product. Yeah, he tells selective truth to his clients like everyone does, all the time, in every single interaction. You can’t explode the totality of life at someone with every facial tic.

He makes a load of money being so damn good at what he does. He must be providing some service to society, otherwise he wouldn’t exist.

Delve deeper into the industry. The United States is the sole superpower, a hegemonic state. The automobile is our national symbol, the embodiment of our addiction to oil. It is at the root of everything. Our man didn’t create the market, the brand, or the desire. Many people legitimately need a car due to the lack of public transportation and rampant suburbanization. Still, a car is not an innocent commodity.

There are certain kernels of truth that escape from the lies and give a glimpse of day to day operations. The Great American Streetcar Scandal that helped doom U.S. public transportation. The history of marijuana illegalization. Straightforward. People conspired towards known ends. They used their power to achieve these ends. The results continue to harm people today, long after the original conspirators are gone.

What’s the one figure almost every U.S. citizen is aware of? Price at the pump. If you read any financial news, you know oil futures. Energy is the lifeblood of modern society. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this unless our unwise reliance on fossil fuels eventually kills us all. Nobody can know for certain.

It’s not the salesman’s fault people want cars and he’s good at matching the two. Times change, cars change, but man’s desire to be in the newest, best, most happenin’ ride has not. Slang occasionally changes too. Is he leading an ethical life? It’s the one he was born into. He found a great way to make a living, one that he enjoys, and he doesn’t worry about the ethical implications. Why the fuck would he – what good would that do? If he doesn’t sell it, someone else will.

The dealership is in some hippy town that has all but banned personal automobiles. Our man moves, unwillingly, and continues to make a great living. A few years later the whole nation is on the verge of giving up on them. Turns out you can just click your heels three times and magically appear wherever the fuck you want. The only energy used… is the energy of love, man.

People still want cars though. More than ever, they want the really nice ones; our man’s specialty. Now that they’re completely worthless outside the realm of conspicuous consumption, nothing else matters but class. Everybody is saving so much money on transportation that they can afford luxury cars, and need one more than ever to keep up with the Joneses.

I have nothing against status symbols that are scarce and overpriced – this is not a rant against cars or status. Choice is a fundamental aspect of capitalism; one person can only eat so much grain. Items that are outlandishly overpriced due to scarcity (perceived or real) help keep us honest. I’ve yet to see absolute proof that cutting the taxes of the rich leads to more, better jobs. But goddamn, consumption does have a trickle-down effect – just watch Deadliest Catch or Ice Road Truckers.

Status symbols aren’t just for the rich. Without all sorts of Americans purchasing fully loaded trucks with high profit margins on 96 month, 9.6% interest plans, I wouldn’t be able to buy my dinky little car that practically sells at a loss.

Our man knows all the issues. Hell, it’s his livelihood at stake. There are legitimate reasons why people think automobiles should be banned. A dealmaker approaches, a fixer with real connections. The vote is coming up and the whole world knows who is voting yes, who is voting no, and who is left undecided. With this much at stake, there’s only one way the undecided make a decision.

As fixers go, this guy is honest as hell. He’s carrying a hefty price tag, but his cut is only a couple commissions; the really meaty ones from the whales, the fish, the marks. The people who get up-sold down the river because they can’t say no.

Automobiles have no meaningful reason to exist in this world. Maybe our man has some assets, but is still living paycheck to paycheck. Or he has enough in accessible savings that he could live for a few years without another job. It’s possible that he could retire tomorrow, having saved up enough to be financially independent. It doesn’t matter… he believes that as long as someone wants that car, that’s reason enough for it to exist. And who the hell are you, or I, or some piece of shit politician to tell anyone else what they can or cannot do with their money.

Does he pay the fixer to legitimize his own existence? When things are this cut and dry, he probably wouldn’t. That would contradict his personal ethics. Fully aware of the facts, that’s one thing he wouldn’t do for any price. Or maybe he would? Maybe his ethics are for sale, or maybe they’re just different than mine. Who am I to say that’s wrong?

The lines are never this clear and once they’re blurred, so are the questions. Self-deception takes over and it becomes impossible to know how bought in you are. What does our man really do? The course of history tells us that enough will do whatever it takes to keep up the lifestyle they’re accustomed to – no matter what the costs to everyone else.

(Click for Part 2)