On seeing Audis everywhere

Ever since I started my current job, I see Audis everywhere. My bosses both drive Audis. I had never noticed them before. Now, during my short commute to work, I swear I see at least 700 Audis. Silver. Black. Sometimes white. But always Audis. The model is unnecessary – after all, all Audi sedans look the same: which is to say, they look like understated luxury; all clean lines and simplicity and modern class.

It’s like there was a sudden boom in April 2006. Like, the stars aligned and now everyone had one. Just like my bosses.

Part of this is location. I work in the south end of Sioux Falls, which is a higher income area. Because it’s the South Dakota way to eschew flashiness in the ways of wealth, Audis have become the car of choice over the typical luxury vehicle: Jaguar, Mercedes, whatever. So there are a lot of them out there.

The other is the phenomenon of our mind focusing on what it knows. When we bought our Jetta, we suddenly started seeing Jettas everywhere. Not because there were more, but because it had finally entered our lexicon.

The same holds true for catching the clock at 11:11 (as in, you only remember it at that point because it’s so recognizable, and it seems like more often than not.) Or, for hearing the same songs on the radio over and over again.

Maybe this is what allows people to be so closed minded about certain political and social differences. Though they may have been exposed, they haven’t truly experienced a change in mindset. Therefore, it’s off the radar.

Sometimes, these coincidences – which seem like a divine aligning of the stars – are simply that: coincidences. But as humans, we seek answers beyond the uninteresting. We want to believe.

The fact is: if you suddenly start seeing marsupials everywhere, stop and look around. It doesn’t mean that there’s some kind of cosmic connection. It might simply mean you’re in Australia.

[Prompt: “Marsupials” – Katie Levitt, creative director, copywriter, blogger at Over Caffeinated Katie.]