Can a Car Incite Violence?

"Red one!" Pow! 
"Black one!" Pow!

Just not one for me, thanks.

I understand that Americans love their violence, just look at the top video games and movies of recent years.  Heck, go back 20 years and look at Rambo. (yes, it's been that long)  Americans love violence. And while I do like the occassional action flick I am not drawn specifically to the violence.

That is why I simply can't consider buying a VolksWagen.

You can chuckle if you must, but I have wanted either a new Bug (in lime green) or the Jetta Sport Wagen TDI. I'd run it on Bio-Diesel!  But those dreams are dead now.  VolksWagens cause random acts of senseless violence, and the company is actually promoting that violence.

I'm sure you've seen the commercials. In one a viscious woman is constantly popping up and punching the good natured but obviously annoyed sales man. In another it's one old man beating on another who just wants to enjoy his afternoon on a park bench.  Honestly, I just want to take that evil woman and that cantankerous old coot and stick them in a small room with a VW merry-go-round so they can beat each other to death!

I wouldn't want to watch them, that would just be too much violence... I just like to think about it.

What really bothers me is that someone actually came up with the idea for these commercials and had the nerve to pitch it to the VW people.  

Marketing guy: "So we get some really nice looking people and have other people pummel them whenever they see a VW."

VW guy: "Von't dat make de people think dat our cars are painful?" (stereotyped accent added for cheap humor)

Marketing guy: "No, it will make them think your cars are violent!"

VW guy: "Oh, dat eez much betta!"

OK, maybe it wasn't exactly like that. I'm sure the actual sales pitch took a lot longer and involved a power point presentation and several pints of beer.

Everyone knows about violence and the good old USA! And it is an American thing, this love of vilence. When my partner first saw one of these commercials I had to explain their history to her. She's from Greece, from way before Greece's current troubles... Anyway, she didn't believe me. In fact, she still doesn't really believe me. The idea that the 70's were all about peace and love and punching someone whenever you saw a cute little VW Bug baffles her for some reason. Welcome to America.

So now I'm thinking about a Toyota, or a Honda or maybe even a Ford. Of course what I'd really like is a Tesla. Can anyone loan me $100,000? My credit is good, honest!