{"id":63100,"date":"2014-07-23T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2014-07-23T14:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/?p=63100"},"modified":"2017-09-17T16:53:25","modified_gmt":"2017-09-17T21:53:25","slug":"conspicuous-pollution-rural-white-men-rollin-coal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/socimages\/2014\/07\/23\/conspicuous-pollution-rural-white-men-rollin-coal\/","title":{"rendered":"Conspicuous Pollution: Rural White Men Rollin’ Coal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conspicuous consumption refers to the practice of ostentatiously displaying of high status objects. \u00a0Think very expensive purses and watches. \u00a0In the last few decades, as concern for the environment has become increasingly en vogue, it has become a marker of status to care for the earth. \u00a0Accordingly, people now engage in\u00a0conspicuous conservation,<\/em>\u00a0the ostentatious display of objects that mark a person as eco-friendly.<\/p>\n

Driving a Prius and putting solar panels on visible roof lines, even if they aren’t the sunniest, are two well-documented\u00a0examples<\/a>. \u00a0Those “litter removal sponsored by” signs<\/a> on freeways are\u00a0an\u00a0example we’ve featured, as are these shoes<\/a> that make it appear that the wearer helped clean up the oil spill in the gulf, even though they didn’t.<\/p>\n

Well, welcome to the opposite: conspicuous pollution.<\/em><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Kulze, writing at Vocativ<\/a>, explains:<\/p>\n

In small towns across America, manly men are customizing their jacked-up diesel trucks to intentionally emit giant plumes of toxic smoke every time they rev their engines.\u00a0They call it\u00a0\u201crollin\u2019 coal”…<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s a thing.\u00a0Google it<\/a>!<\/p>\n

\"1a\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is not just a handful of guys. \u00a0Kulze links\u00a0to “an entire subculture” on\u00a0<\/span>Facebook<\/a>, <\/span>Tumblr<\/a>, and\u00a0<\/span>I<\/a>nstagram<\/a>. <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s just fun,\u201d one coal roller\u00a0says. \u201cJust driving and blowing smoke and having a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n

It isn’t just<\/em>\u00a0fun, though. It’s a way for these men — mostly white, working class, rural men — to send an intrusive and nasty message to people they don’t like. That includes Prius drivers, cops, women, tailgaters, and people in vulnerable positions.<\/p>\n

[youtube]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_gcb84qn3mU[\/youtube]<\/p>\n

[youtube]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rYPMbLO4pAY[\/youtube]<\/p>\n

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