Sociology 101 (Hip Diversion) Summary

Back in the Lincoln Tunnel, the narrator thinks about the people he knew in the army. A van pulls up next to him, and he thinks that Ernie probably never saw a van. Thinking about cars, he imagines a sociologist lecturing on car culture. In "Sociology 101 (Hip Diversion)," the narrator gives his imaginary lecture. He discusses the Van Culture and contrasts it with the Camper Crowd. Camper people are family people, politically conservative, and middle-aged in mentality. Van people are bearded hippies who eat granola and yoghurt, don't believe in marriage, and remain teenagers despite aging into their fifties. They vote only with minorities.

Both groups plaster their cars with bumper stickers, the campers with right-wing, family-value propaganda, including the names of all their family members, their hometowns, and CB numbers. The van people counter with left-wing, environmental propaganda...