The Commercialization of Intimate Life: Notes from Home and Work

“Moms have changed, shouldn’t the minivan?” So queries the disembodied announcer advertising the Nissan Quest. The gunmetal gray vehicle sits perched on an urban rooftop, and one by one, attractive and interesting women interact with it. One loads up a surfboard, another a saddle, and so on. All is peaceful as remote controls open the doors for her and the rear seats effortlessly fold for easy storage of these bulky items. Although we know these women are today’s moms, there are no children in the scene to pester her. Also absent is any sign of help—except that provided by the minivan.