My Junky Reverse Elitism

Posted on September 11, 2007
Filed Under Jason Boyett |

So here’s my dilemma. Inspired by the latest issue of RELEVANT — which features a Q&A with Mike Foster, the founder of Ethur, the nonprofit umbrella organization over the (soon-to-be) Deadly Viper Project and the brilliantly simple Junky Car Club — I have finally found a place where I feel like I really belong: a club of people who, like me, don’t think it’s that important to drive a nice, new car. The Junky Car Club is a fun little organization (complete with membership card and kickin’ bumper sticker!) for those who purposefully drive a clunker because 1) they wish to politely rebel against consumer culture; 2) they’d rather spend money on things that matter, like social justice causes or compassion ministries, as opposed to a big car payment; and 3) who cares what kind of car you drive anyway?

So my little red 1997 Civic hatchback (104,000 miles) and I are now members. Elite Lemon Members, mind you. (Added: See Mike Foster’s explanation about levels of membership in the comments below.)

Jason Boyett Junky Car Club

And I feel conflicted about it. Not because I don’t think the JCC is a killer idea. It is. It SO is. But I’m concerned about the feelings it engenders in me. Let me explain. My family lives in Texas, where vehicles and driving are deeply embedded in the culture. Most of our friends drive large SUVs or pickup trucks, most of them pretty new. Granted, most of our friends also have at least a couple of kids, and large vehicles are quite efficient at hauling around children and their stuff. No argument there. But so are minivans, and they do the hauling with lots better fuel economy. Yet very, very few of our friends drive minivans. Why? Probably because they carry a stigma. Everyone wants to drive a cool, acceptable car. No one wants to be the dork mom in the minivan.

Even so, my wife and I sort of have an SUV of our own — a mini-SUV. (And there’s a difference, mind you! A big difference!) We bought a new Honda CR-V back in 1999, when we were expecting our first child. More than 65,000 miles and 8 years later, we’re still driving it. It’s not new anymore, and there are other vehicles we like better, but it’s paid for and it drives just fine and I have trouble coming up with a reason to upgrade. And also, deep down inside, I feel pride at not being the owner of a fancy new car, SUV or not. I like being different, because it makes me feel…better than everyone else.

That’s the problem. My junky cars contribute to what’s becoming a “reverse elitism” in my soul of souls, and I don’t like it. Because I ride my bike most of the time, I occasionally feel superior to all those drivers burning fuel and wasting opportunities to get outside and exercise. Reverse Elitism. When I do drive, because I drive a paid-for older car, I feel superior to all those drivers wasting money on car payments. Reverse Elitism. Because I drive a fuel-efficient, better-for-the-environment vehicle, I feel superior to all the gas-guzzlers. Reverse Elitism. It’s like the bizarro version of Jesus’s parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. In the Gospel version, the Pharisee says, “Thank God I’m not like other men,” referring to the humble tax collector next to him, while the sinful tax collector merely asks God for mercy. In my bizarro version, I’ve put myself in the place of the tax collector, humbly owning a junker of a car but still saying, “Thank God I’m not like that Pharisee over there. Yep, that one — the one driving the Expedition. Thanks, God, for making me so incredibly thoughtful and compassionate.”

Neither scenario — the thoughtless consumerism or the too-thoughtful judgmentalism — seem appropriate for someone following in the way of Jesus. And so I’m torn. I love the idea of slapping a Junky Car Club sticker on the Hatchback, letting friends know that I’m resisting the status quo and possibly encouraging them to do the same. But because I’m such an arrogant, pharasaical sinner, I’d probably end up using that sticker as proof of my own self-righteousness. And parading your humility in someone’s face isn’t very…uh, humble.

You’re probably rolling your eyes at me, aren’t you? Thinking, Oh, Jason, just shut up and drive your stupid car. Quit overthinking things. To which I would respond: You’re right, even though you just called my car stupid. Sigh. So I’ll probably wear the Junky Car Club badge with pride — just not too much pride. The trick is to do it for the right reasons. Not to show I’m better than you, but to make you think. Ask me why I’m a member of the Junky Car Club, and I’ll probably say something similar to what Mike Foster has written here:

I heard an amazing statement this week in Ecuador about how we need to figure out in our lives how we can “move towards enough.” I think this statement is profound and represents exactly what we are trying to do here at the Junky Car Club. Too many of us are moving towards more. More cars, more clothes, more shiny, more options, more stuff. The challenge for us is to dedicate ourselves to living a life of enough.

So, friends, aim for a life of enough. Trade in your shiny vehicles, live with less, give more, simplify the way you live. Just don’t fall into the temptation of being all self-righteous and legalistic about it. Because if there’s anything worse than a Pharisee in an H2, it’s the Pharisee in the Civic thinking Jesus loves him more.

Comments

18 Responses to “My Junky Reverse Elitism”

Melody on September 11th, 2007 3:23 pm

I love this post.
Joshua Blount on September 11th, 2007 4:01 pm

Well said. I’m another (proud?) member of the JCC and I too seem to be struggling with a bit of elitism. If I could just stretch my mind out a little bit more to understand that I don’t need to be better than those around me…
mike foster on September 11th, 2007 5:22 pm

great post jason. its awesome having you and your honda in the club. and you are absolutely right about avoiding “reverse elitism.” it is so critical that we never fall into a judgemental spirit. a huge value of the JCC is happiness and joy and fun. this helps drive out the judgemental and elite.

i believe its critical to soak all things in immense amounts of humility. our lives have to revolve around serving/helping others and not criticizing others. i think it will do our Christianity and our little car club alot of good to have this servant’s posture.

thanks so much for your kind words and great thoughts on this important topic. and yes, your membership card and sticker are on their way ..peace…mike.
Kevin on September 11th, 2007 10:19 pm

Wow. Well said. I totally relate.
Lorenzo on September 12th, 2007 12:28 pm

Well said, Jason. I feel exactly the same way. I read something St Francis said (and I paraphrase), that we should not judge the rich for their fine clothes and possessions, but rather let God convict us about how we should live. Simplicity, stewardship and solidarity with the poor should be borne out of personal conviction and not pride. This is the struggle.
daniel so on September 12th, 2007 3:11 pm

Jason — Great words. We could all benefit from such a deep level of self-reflection. I’m not sure our motives will ever be completely pure — and, if that’s the case, I would much rather be a hypocrite in a Yugo (!) than one in a Topkick (for real, I see people driving these beasts around). I really appreciate your insight about aiming for a life of enough…

On a side note, I think the Junky Car Club should win an award for best name (if such an award exists, and if they haven’t already won). Almost makes me wish I hadn’t sold my ‘97 Altima a little while back — I could have joined you in the Elite Lemon circle (although I could quite possibly also be seriously injured from driving in such a wreck).
Rachel on September 13th, 2007 8:43 am

I recently purchased a new(er) car and felt keenly aware of the fact that it’s a sporty 2-door coupe. It was a far cry from my 4-door ‘93 Escort that got smashed due to the rampant inability of Tulsa drivers to look before they cross 4 lanes of traffic into the “suicide lane” to turn left. I set my criteria for a used car, and the one I came across was quite unexpected. I was able to pay for it up front, thanks to contributions from my parents and grandparents.

Every day I walk out to that car, I feel like I don’t deserve it. I didn’t even ask for it. It all just…happened. And I ended up with a much nicer, much newer, less-prone-to-break-down car. If people knew the modest wage I made as a beginning journalist, they’d see that this car is really a paradox to who I am. Plus I am really not the sporty car type…at all.

My point is this: I think having a “junky” car shouldn’t be a criterion to be in this club. My car is fully paid off (thank God), it is very fuel efficient, it has way fewer problems than an older car and it isn’t a status symbol to me (unless you count the times where we all struggle with reverse elitism.) Granted I would probably put the sticker in the window and not on the bumper, because I do want to option of selling this car if I decide to leave the country…I wonder if I’d be a valid member.

Just a thought.
Rachel on September 13th, 2007 8:45 am

p.s. The bumper sticker in the window option would be because bumper stickers depreciate the value of the car. Just a clarification.
Este on September 13th, 2007 11:23 am

Awesome post as always. I loved that you think about your actions and think about how you perceive yourself. I feel in todays society that is so rare because we allow others’ comments to be our own self perception instead of analyzing ourselves. I drive a cheap car too! I’m proud of it too because eventhough I want a better car I remind myself of my situation and say what I have is enough for me now.
Eric on September 13th, 2007 4:15 pm

Wow, really well written Jason… I think this is an issue alot of christians deal with, especially a younger generation that values counter culturism and social justice issues. Christ calls us to love the SUV driver just as much as the sweat shop employee
marky mark on September 13th, 2007 10:39 pm

i enjoyed this one. kudos.
Angela on September 14th, 2007 12:39 am

One of the best posts yet. I have this problem myself.
mike foster on September 14th, 2007 9:33 am

hey rachel..you can actually be in the junky car club…membership falls into 3 categories…we have basic, chrome, and elite lemon…it sounds like you are at the “chrome” level but not the “elite lemon” level…

Chrome Membership
1. Your car is paid off and you have no car payments.
2. You are wanting to live with less so you can give more and looking for ways to be more generous to those in need.
3. You care about the issues of poverty and social justice and want to bring awareness to these important issues.

Elite Lemon Membership
1. You are currently sponsoring and helping a child who is living in poverty. If you want to sponsor a child now, please click on the COMPASSION banner above.
2. Your vehicle is 10 years old or older and MAY have trouble starting on cold mornings, have a funky smell inside, and have an annoying hum coming from the radio.
3. You are wanting to live with less so you can give more and looking for ways to be more generous to those in need.
4. You care about the issues of poverty and social justice and want to bring awareness to these important issues.

im sure this has just made your day :)…welcome…peace and happy driving…mike.
Holly on September 14th, 2007 12:21 pm

Hey Mike, what about the basic membership?
Rachel on September 14th, 2007 2:23 pm

Thank you, Mike! Chrome works for me. And that did make my day.
Melody on September 17th, 2007 2:45 pm

Oh my, I used to qualify for the elite lemon membership (the car was over 20 years old with a clock that took up most of the dash because it wasn’t digital), but I don’t think I could ever go back - I like it when my car starts. I might qualify for basic, but I have a feeling I’m chrome.
Tom on September 18th, 2007 12:16 pm

I like the JCC bumper stickers too…but then I thought I might sound like the folks with the sticker that reads: “I’m not perfect…just forgiven” Not quite as condescending, but precariously close.

I’ll continue to drive my 1999 Tahoe - 140,000 miles - sans the sticker. But I’ll still wonder what the $500 payment for the new car next to me could do for those lacking some basic necessities.

Thanks.
junkspire on January 25th, 2008 10:26 am

This is a great article.

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