They must have been the most commercially successful bits of toxic positivity merch I’ve ever known. Back when they were a thing, your chances of getting in a road-rage based auto accident spiked each time one of these was on the back of a vehicle in motion:
They seemingly vanished off the face of the Earth, and good riddance.
Keep Calm And Carry On
“Caring about things is stupid and bad, keep toiling and consuming.”
Many such cases.
Jeep drivers replaced these spare tire covers with rubber duckies on their dashboard
Or truck nuts.
I actually really quite like this little smiley face. I didn’t know it was part of a bigger, more cynical marketing scheme…though I guess I should expect that. I’m in my 30s but I saw it a lot growing up.
Taken subjectively, yes, I can definitely see the appeal.
Growing up with (younger at the time) adult
road raging with smiley stickers on their cars and “don’t worry, be happy” being said as a thought terminating cliche gave me a different experience back in the 80s.
Part of a CIA op to sell lifestyles. Replaced during an update when they released more styles.
These and Life Is Good
They didn’t fucking work. I was still unhappy and worried
Telling people not to worry and to performatively be happy was just an assholish flex all along.
I’m not particularly old but I swear I’ve seen this in person when I was in Mni Sota Makoce.
I’m not particularly old but I swear I’ve seen this in person when I was in Mni Sota Makoce.
It was probably the sum of
assholery when boomers were in their 30s and starting to feel not quite so invincible and young anymore and made it the world’s problem.
Good vibes only.
Was the song in response to these?
I think the merch/protomeme came out before the song, so kind of.
HAKUNA MATATA
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