Pickup trucks: A media Rorschach test

Following Trump’s win, one would think members of the press would reflect more on what they know and don’t know about the electorate they cover.

Though some journalists seem to be doing just that, others appear to be extremely upset with the idea that their industry is insular and operating out of a bubble.

Consider, for example, the furious responses from members of the press to a simple question about pickup trucks.

“The top 3 best selling vehicles in America are pick-ups. Question to reporters: do you personally know someone that owns one?” asked conservative blogger John Ekdahl late Tuesday evening.

He’s not wrong. The top three best-selling vehicle models in 2016 were the Ford F-Series, the Chevrolet Silverado and the Ram pickup, according to autoblog.com.

Car and Driver reported the same recently.

However, instead of a simple “Yes” or “No” answer, many in media took Ekdahl’s tweet to be something of a personal, if not an outright vicious, insult.

“[P]lenty of heartlanders are opioid addicts. Does that mean to report on real Amerikkka you need an oxy habit?” Ars Technica automotive editor Jonathan Gitlin said in a since-deleted tweet.

New York Daily News guest columnist Brandon Friedman added elsewhere, “Can we please move off the idea that truck-owning, country music-listening, gun enthusiasts are the ‘real’ Americans.”

“That might be the dumbest question I’ve heard today,” the New York Times’ John Schwartz said. “Of course I do. Hell, that’s how I learned to drive stick.”

The responses go on like that for quite awhile.

The outcry is really rather remarkable. With a single question about consumer preferences, Ekdahl created something of a Rorschach test for media, and many didn’t like what they saw.

Some reporters argued that the best-selling metric is unfair because trucks are often purchased in fleets. Others responded by asking how much pickup drivers know about people living in urban areas.

Two points: First, the fleet purchase argument is offset by the fact that rental services do the same for economy, luxury, sedan and other non-pickup models. Second, whether a pickup driver is familiar with urban areas seems less important than whether a national reporter is familiar with a commonly shared point of American culture.

Ekdahl’s question doesn’t suggest that owning a pickup truck somehow makes one morally superior or “more American” (it’s sort of pointless anyway for someone living in Washington, D.C., or New York City to own a vehicle, let alone a giant, hulking truck. Good luck parking that thing). His question appears to be about the insular nature of media, and whether those who cover the electorate have a broad and significant understanding of American culture.

The point is that a significant number of people drive pickup trucks. How many national media reporters can say they know one of these drivers? The question seems like a worthwhile exercise in self-reflection for the press, especially after it was so violently broadsided in November by Trump’s victory.

Considering the fierce reaction to Ekdahl’s tweet, it would be fun to follow-up with similar inquiries.

How many reporters can say they have spent an evening in jail or know someone who has served time in prison? How many reporters can say they know someone who goes to church regularly? How many reporters can say they know a registered Republican?

Another question that could inspire very telling responses: Rifles are consistently the most manufactured firearm in the U.S., according to the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in the U.S., according to the National Rifle Association.

How many reporters can say they own or know a person who owns an AR-15?