--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can't you see that everyone is buying…" description: "\"Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?\" — Neal Stephenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png" --- # Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons? ![“Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?” quote by Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png) > “Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?” [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote satirically points out how consumer trends can become ubiquitous, making it hard to notice the sameness in choices. **In simple terms:** People often follow popular trends without questioning them. Key Takeaway Question the herd and seek originality. Themes consumerism conformity trendspotting culture critique Mood critical ironic observational Type commentary satire. When to use this quote - shopping decisions - car purchases - fashion choices - technology adoption Key Concepts social dynamics mass behavior marketing influence Questions to Reflect On - Do you buy something because it’s popular? - How can you identify authentic needs? A Different Perspective It may overlook genuine personal preferences in favor of critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [To travel and to get around different places, especially in station wagons, you could really see America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-toussaint/to-travel-and-to-get-around-different-places-especially-in-station/) [Allen Toussaint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-toussaint/) > [Why did Mitt Romney strap his dog to the roof of his car? Could it be because his station wagon was full of wives?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/why-did-mitt-romney-strap-his-dog-to-the-roof-of-his-car-could-it-be/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Actually, when John died, for the first time I thought - for the first time I realized how old I was, because I'd always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/actually-when-john-died-for-the-first-time-i-thought-for-the-first/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Guys don't adapt as well as women do to getting their heart broken for the first time. It's tragic. I really wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/guys-don-t-adapt-as-well-as-women-do-to-getting-their-heart-broken/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [I've got to be kind of careful because I've had good advice: "Don't sell yourself too short." I have to not be too available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-keaggy/i-ve-got-to-be-kind-of-careful-because-i-ve-had-good-advice-don-t/) Phil Keaggy > [Berry Gordy believed in owning the artist for life and controlling everything: the money, the station wagons, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-pickett/berry-gordy-believed-in-owning-the-artist-for-life-and-controlling/) [Wilson Pickett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-pickett/) > [Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-s-tanenbaum/never-underestimate-the-bandwidth-of-a-station-wagon-full-of-tapes/) [Andrew S. Tanenbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-s-tanenbaum/) > [I used to write letters to the wounded in the Palace Hotel, and I used to drive a station wagon with blood in bottles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/i-used-to-write-letters-to-the-wounded-in-the-palace-hotel-and-i-used/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [ When they \[Democrats\] running all these ads that are characterizing \[Mitt\] Romney as a rich, insensitive, out of touch, aloof nerd who loved having… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/when-they-democrats-running-all-these-ads-that-are-characterizing/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If a train stops at a train station, what do you think happens at a work station?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-varian/if-a-train-stops-at-a-train-station-what-do-you-think-happens-at-a/) [Hal Varian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-varian/) > [Broadband access is the great equalizer, leveling the playing field so that every willing and able person, no matter their station in life, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-powell/broadband-access-is-the-great-equalizer-leveling-the-playing-field-so/) [Michael K. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-powell/) > [I'm a fully trained cosmonaut and have completed 800 hours training, which has made me the No. 1 civilian reserve ready to visit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/i-m-a-fully-trained-cosmonaut-and-have-completed-800-hours-training/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) > [That's no moon. It's a space station](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-guinness/that-s-no-moon-it-s-a-space-station/) [Alec Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-guinness/) > [I am going to design, in a great hurry, and I believe to build a station after my own fancy; that is, with engineering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isambard-kingdom-brunel/i-am-going-to-design-in-a-great-hurry-and-i-believe-to-build-a/) Isambard Kingdom Brunel > [I viewed the station as a place, a terrain where I could put a new architecture in place. The station was, of course, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gae-aulenti/i-viewed-the-station-as-a-place-a-terrain-where-i-could-put-a-new/) [Gae Aulenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gae-aulenti/) ## More by Neal Stephenson > [“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-study-dead-languages-for-a-living-i-said-that-s-why-you-hired-me/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/other-people-store-clerks-burger-flippers-software-engineers-the/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-is-what-you-don-t-expect-he-d-said-that-most-needs-looking-for-do/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-insects-here-see-you-as-a-big-slab-of-animated-but-not-very-well/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/space-and-time-two-minor-omissions-that-no-one-is-likely-to-notice/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/see-the-world-is-full-of-things-more-powerful-than-us-but-if-you-know/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/hey-shaftoe-says-if-we-surrender-to-you-you-ll-kill-us-right-yes-if/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/my-men-think-you-are-dead-now-and-won-t-waste-balls-on-you-jack-said/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/you-ve-probably-heard-the-expression-that-the-industry-feeds-off-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/and-people-could-only-make-sense-of-complicated-matters-through/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Van Eck phreaking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/van-eck-phreaking/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/when-the-deliverator-puts-the-hammer-down-shit-happens/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) [Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More Buying quotes > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/) [Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/) > [I'm being called in by all the great casting directors. It's no longer based on a headshot. I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/there-s-a-whole-generation-of-women-who-never-really-heard-the-word/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [I think buying a home is the best investment that any individual can make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paulson/i-think-buying-a-home-is-the-best-investment-that-any-individual-can/) [John Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paulson/) > [The more a prospective customer clicks on you and your stuff, the easier it is for them to make a buying decision in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/the-more-a-prospective-customer-clicks-on-you-and-your-stuff-the/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [“If you have half a nothing - sell it for a double something, resell half at double-price, and buy another something and a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/if-you-have-half-a-nothing-sell-it-for-a-double-something-resell-half/) Will Advise > [Every kid looks forward to buying their first JanSport backpack for school - you know my kids did!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/every-kid-looks-forward-to-buying-their-first-jansport-backpack-for/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [What is the focus of the new image infrastructure? Attention. It's all designed for capturing, tracking, quantifying, manipulating, holding, buying, selling and controlling attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mau/what-is-the-focus-of-the-new-image-infrastructure-attention-it-s-all/) [Bruce Mau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mau/) > [It’s always going to be easy to live like others or other’s life, because creating or innovating something of own is always difficult in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/it-s-always-going-to-be-easy-to-live-like-others-or-other-s-life/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [The truth is, if I was maybe better or funnier or prettier, wouldn't I have starred in a movie? I can see it objectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/the-truth-is-if-i-was-maybe-better-or-funnier-or-prettier-wouldn-t-i/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) [Browse all 1,598 Buying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal Stephenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-station-wagons/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-station-wagons/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/neal-stephenson-362_buying_can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-st_1159464.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Can't you see that everyone is buying station wagons?” — Neal Stephenson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neal Stephenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Can't you see that everyone is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-station-wagons/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/can-t-you-see-that-everyone-is-buying-station-wagons/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```