Hummer is taking out full-page ads for the Alpha, which features the "Duramax 6600 Turbo Diesel" engine and the "Allison 1000" transmission, making it "the new benchmark in off-road exotic vehicles." It's a new benchmark, alright--the very latest in phony utility. It's fauxtilitarian!
I love solidly-built, well-designed objects that are intended to be used hard and last a lifetime. And I'm as susceptible as the next consumer to the lure of an aspirational purchase. But when Hummer's touting the "Duramax 6600" on the back of the Wine Spectator (see the Dec. 15 issue), well, fauxtility has officially exhausted itself as an aesthetic. I'm expecting a return to flashy superficiality any day now.
tag: fauxtilitarian
