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I stood up and cheered twice last night while watching the Olympics. Once when Team USA’s Steven Holcomb and Steven Langton took home the bronze for 2-Man Bobsled. And then again for this Cadillac commercial:
Aggressively American and funny, it cleverly (and gently) mocked the European style work ethic and entire-month-of-August-vacations, while promoting American exceptionalism.
Of course, certain writers were aghast that Americans could be proud of being capitalistic. How dare advertisers smartly promote the Cadillac brand, which has always symbolized capitalistic success and an upwardly mobile lifestyle? These articles seem to find pride in American products unacceptable for a number of reasons. American arrogance, anti-European jingoism, blah, blah, blah.
Yeah, whatever. Their panty bunching wasn’t about Cadillac. It was about American apologists that can’t stand or even understand the idea that capitalism is the only way for the lower and middle class to succeed to the point where they can have nice houses, Cadillacs and swimming pools. And WHY “rich” Americans have these EARNED these perks. Socialists and progressives practice the theory there is some magic kind of math to create equality for all. Well, the kinds of “equality” they really want are plenty of perks for their own small cadre of politically connected sycophants and the rest of the populace can suck equality beans. The only hard work Socialists want to engage in is figuring out new ways to take the monetary rewards for hard work from the successful and re-distribute to those who won’t work…and themselves.
I LIKE rich people. They hire lots and lots of employees, who then have a chance to work hard and be just as successful. Rich people don’t hire people out of the goodness of their hearts – they hire people and produce assets to become more rich. So what if some of them have Gulf Streams and gold faucets? I’d rather endure People Magazine stories about the rich and famous than have my life destroyed and ruled by the equality Socialists. Rich people invent, promote, and produce needed and desired goods and services. They also pay the majority of taxes that go toward providing unearned goods and services that benefit the masses that mock and hate them.
God bless capitalism. I don’t want America to end up like Venezuela, or any other Socialistic cesspool of poverty and bleak opportunity run by brutal Socialist governmental “equality” elites.
Let there always be successful and RICH entrepreneurs in America, free from Socialistic shackles, creating greater wealth and opportunity. And let there be commercials during the Olympics promoting kick-ass American exceptionalism.
Say, being exceptional in the Olympics doesn’t get you a participation trophy…does it? Like the Olympics, capitalism has rewards. Like a Cadillac.
N’est pas?
Barbara Stinchfield says: I felt so compelled to express my revulsion of the Olympic Cadillac ad that I searched for a way to express this to the ethnocentric creators of this horrible piece of advertising. To sing the virtues of capitalism why do they have to tear other cultures down. Maybe that is why Cadillac struggles. Somehow competition-driven capitalists still choose BMW’s. Enough said.
hockeydad says: Did you forget the /sarc tag? This was marketing gold. Selling to Americans touting American work ethic and funny too. Since you seem uninformed, BMW also has a plant in the USA. So what was Cadillac trying to do, sell a product.
As for tearing down other cultures, I didn’t see much there other than pointing out how hard we work compared to them.
Have you ever lived overseas for any length of time, on the economy as we called it? I’ve had the pleasure of doing so in several countries and believe me they have no problem mocking our culture, values or lifestyles. If you haven’t may I suggest moving or at least pulling out the stick.
Kevin says: Neal McDonough’s the bomb and for me he will always be Lt. Lynn “Buck” Compton from Band Of Brothers.
His toss-away line “Whatever” was pitch-perfect too. Great ad.
GWB says: Yeah, whatever. Their panty bunching wasn’t about Cadillac. It was about American apologists that can’t stand or even understand the idea that capitalism is the only way for the lower and middle class to succeed….
“Panty bunching” I love your writing, Catherine! But, I think the wrong word slipped into this sentence. Maybe it’s a difference in our encounters with the word, but I view “American apologists” as those who stand up for America. This likely stems from my church background, where the Apology To The Augsburg Confession is not an “I’m sorry I wrote that” but “Here’s my riposte to your attack on the Augsburg Confession.” So, that word threw me and had me all confused.
I’ll repeat: Excellent writing, Catherine 🙂
AMEN!! Catherine, I totally agree….I loved the commercial.
BTW, Neal McDonough, who is the actor in the commercial, is a staunch Catholic, very conservative, and likely a Republican. He was very fond of the great man, Lynn “Buck” Compton, who he portrayed in “Band of Brothers”…attended his funeral. McDonough is what is still known as “a good man”!!!
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