Cadillac Olympics Commercial

[MikeJ]

Did anyone see the Cadillac commercial with the annoying middle aged pompous ass?  He starts by asking questions like why do Americans only get 2 weeks vacation when a lot of countries get all of August off, why do we work so hard when people in other countries knock off early and stop at a cafe on the way home from work.  He says that other countries think we are crazy for living the way we do. 

He then explains it's because we're "Mericans dammit and everyone else can kiss our ass.

I was totally offended.  I thought the ad was ridiculous, especially coming from GM which would be bankrupt and out of business is it weren't for government, i.e., taxpayer, handouts.

I would never buy a Cadillac, but if I were thinking about it, I would think again because I wouldn't want to be associated with such a jackass.

[Yorkshire pud]

I would never buy a Cadillac, but if I were thinking about it, I would think again because I wouldn't want to be associated with such a jackass.

Hmm, They don't sell many in the UK. Cadillacs that is. GM do, in various guises and frankly the build quality is shite.

[MikeJ]

Hmm, They don't sell many in the UK. Cadillacs that is. GM do, in various guises and frankly the build quality is shite.

They don't sell many in the US either, at least not many to people under 75.

[pyewacket]

Did anyone see the Cadillac commercial with the annoying middle aged pompous ass?  He starts by asking questions like why do Americans only get 2 weeks vacation when a lot of countries get all of August off, why do we work so hard when people in other countries knock off early and stop at a cafe on the way home from work.  He says that other countries think we are crazy for living the way we do. 

He then explains it's because we're "Mericans dammit and everyone else can kiss our ass.

I was totally offended.  I thought the ad was ridiculous, especially coming from GM which would be bankrupt and out of business is it weren't for government, i.e., taxpayer, handouts.

I would never buy a Cadillac, but if I were thinking about it, I would think again because I wouldn't want to be associated with such a jackass.

Hiya MikeJ! I think I understand your reaction to the above mentioned commercial. I'm from an older generation - and there was a time, when there truly was such a thing as American Exceptionalism. Let me explain, I'm in no way an expert on history or advertising- but I'm not sure they presented the concept correctly. We have a history of innovation, hard work, and sacrifice that was responsible for so much that we take for granted now. Other countries contributed as well, but we, America, took the lead for awhile.

When I think of exceptionalism, I think of the passion people had that allowed them to create. Many times with very little support and lots of ridicule, people had dreams/ideas.
Believing in your theories and fighting to make them a reality is an exceptional effort.
To illustrate this to our teen aged daughters years ago, we bought them slide rules to show them what Nasa used to make their calculations when they sent our astronauts to the moon.

What exceptionalism, IMO, is NOT- is this conceited sense of specialness I hear expressed by certain talk radio/TV personalities. Too many people seem to feel "entitled" to success because of who they are or who they know.

I get what the actor was trying to convey in the commercial. Not sure it was successful given your reaction. Think Of Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs. I think he gets the point across better than any of the talking heads on TV. He showed how hard people work to make life liveable for the rest of us. He showed people who did these jobs with a sense of purpose and - yes- passion. I think that better reflects how people can act in exceptional ways.

Now, young man, Help an old woman off her soap box.     

[paladin1991]

What exceptionalism, IMO, is NOT- is this conceited sense of specialness I hear expressed by certain talk radio/TV personalities. Too many people seem to feel "entitled" to success because of who they are or who they know.

   

I take exception to their exceptionalism.

[pyewacket]

I take exception to their exceptionalism.

I call your exception and I raise you an umbrage!

[paladin1991]

I call your exception and I raise you an umbrage!

An umbrage?  Sir!  That is an outrage.

[pyewacket]

An umbrage?  Sir!  That is an outrage.

Quite right, Sir! If you insist - I withdraw my umbrage and revert to a state of high dudgeon over the whole sorry mess.

[paladin1991]

Quite right, Sir! If you insist - I withdraw my umbrage and revert to a state of high dudgeon over the whole sorry mess.

Good Sir.  You continue to vex me and I, remain, piqued by your words.

[pyewacket]

  Good Sir.  You continue to vex me and I, remain, piqued by your words.

Good Sir, I fear I must confess that I do enjoy pricking this particular bugaboo of yours. I find your vexation and fits of pique over this frivolous verbiage vastly amusing. My apologies for sporting with your temper so shamelessly.

[paladin1991]

Good Sir, I fear I must confess that I do enjoy pricking this particular bugaboo of yours. I find your vexation and fits of pique over this frivolous verbiage vastly amusing. My apologies for sporting with your temper so shamelessly.

Harumph!  Sir you are a twiddler of words, a wordsmith that does knows his business and goes about it quite shamelessly. But I assure you, I know your business better than you.  No apology will show merit for crossing verbal swords with such as you as it is mere child's play for such as I.   And perhaps, it is I, that should apologize for striking you soundly about the head and shoulders with my verbose  weaponry. 

[pyewacket]

My Good Sir! I'm mystified by your persistent, peevish, prattling. The belligerent tone reveals your extreme state of discombobulation.

Your bragadocious bloviating is unwarranted. Whereas I find you a worthy opponent in gentle, verbal sparring, I surmise that you are not the formidable adversary you fancy yourself to be in this contest of words.

Any de minimis darts you have launched with this latest cacophonous codswallop scarcely hit their mark.

I implore you, Good Sir, for the sake of your health and stability, to seek more tranquil diversions like bird watching or a vigorous game of croquet.

With kindest regards, I am at your service.