Immobile Dreams: How did trailers come to be a symbol of failure?
How did ‘trailers‘ or mobile homes become associated with failure? Why did it happen and what can we do to remedy the stereotype? These are all questions I’ve wondered and written about here on MMHL. I find the entire subject fascinating.
I found ‘Immobile Dreams; How did the Trailer come to be a Symbol of Failure?” on Oregon Humanities website. This wonderful article was written by Rebecca Hartman. It was originally published in their magazine Encore, Oregon Humanities magazine and is a great read about the trailer trash stereotype and is extremely well written.
Immobile Dreams
How did trailers come to be a symbol of failure?
Historically, class and social status in the United States have been linked to the acquisition of wealth rather than family lineage. As a result, class mobility—both upward and downward—has been a common experience for many Americans. Individuals may even experience changes in class status within their lifetimes. Partly as a result of this economic mobility, and partly because we tend, as a nation, to sidestep class as a category of social analysis, we rely very heavily upon cultural markers, such as trailers, to ascertain class instead. This means that class becomes more about consumer tastes than economic interests, so that what separated my family from trailer dwellers wasn’t necessarily income, but rather taste.
Hi, Crystal Adkins
I’m Japanese living in Japan and not good at English, sorry.
Your article is awesome!
Thank you for the wonderful information about trailers.
fuji-maru
BRAVO! Very historically significant, informative, and inspiring. I am very simple, and love my two boys for embracing the same attitude. When I first purchased our 20 year old single wide a few years ago, the first walk thru the kids had, they entered the space and said, “Wow!”. Paneled walls, all original dated decor, etc. A lot of paint and frugal remodeling has gone a long way, and it and the 2 acres are almost completely paid off. I could have taken on a 30 year mortgage; I didn’t want to. The tiny house movement has indeed done wonders with the current mindset of the status quo. If keeping up with the Jones’ means strapping myself with tons of debt, no thanks!!!!
congratulations…so proud of this wonderful mother and her sons..for seeing past the keeping up with the jones standard..and took on a lovely home to make and call their own….hugs to all
to whom it may concern,
Today at this given moment in time the article I just read has left me in tears and horror….how dare anyone insult a hard working mother and father for buying and owning only singlewide or doublewide trailers…for them saving their hard earned money as a nurse and a steelmill plant worker and paying cash for each home meant a lot to them to provide me and my sister a new and lovely larger home each time to live in..and the nice trailer courts they resided in around the indianapois, Indiana area…but if that is how people looked at my parents then and now, and me and my sister are also labeled as such then be it as it may..for even in our married lives we own and are proud we own our own doublewides, located in a subdivision..on beautiful plush acre each…we are proud of our mobile home heritage..even anyone wants a happy ending mobile home story then we are them…don’t ever insult us for what we live in..we are hard working americians debt free because we choose to live in a mobile home….sincerely sherry lynn ray campbell
Hi Sherry Lynn! It’s great to hear from you! We love our single wide too and thankfully I think the tides are turning for us mobile homeowners. Living within your means and debt-free is becoming more and more accepted (as it should have all along).
Together, we can all rise above the ignorance. Just keep on keepin’ on and living your life for you – no one elses. I hope to hear more from you! Thanks so much for such a great comment!
thank you ms. crystal..from one mobile home dweller to another….hugs from Virginia….deary…leave a note or email anytime….hugs
Hi Sherry! I’m in WV so if you’re ever in the Fayetteville area please let me know!