Scott,
a regular contributor to this column, has been counting bumper stickers
on cars in San Francisco. There has been a significant and noticeable
decline in the number of bumper stickers. Why?
Bumper stickers
with strong political statements (other than candidate names) began
appearing in about 1974, increased in frequency in the 1980s and
probably peaked in the late 1990s. The actual data for the number of
bumper stickers would be fascinating. I am going on the basis of
statements by friends and clients in the printing business.
Scott
suggest the reason for the decline is that we are in a period of
greater conformity, bumper stickers are a form of antagonism. More conformity, less antagonism.
I
think that the rising turnout in elections indicates greater political
sophistication, greater political give-and-take and less need for
confrontational bumper stickers. I call this sophistication the rise of the Second Voice. We used to have only the voice of status quo/pro-government-action, now we hear the second voice of pro commerce and we are getting more intelligent conversation.
What do you think?