HOW OTHERS SEE US. Juan Gato gets a few chuckles from this source of anthropological hypotheses for SUV ownership in Marin County (motto: get naked and do it to Old Glory). There is a simpler explanation for "consumption decisions." In economics, we call them incentives. The sport-ute is the logical outcome of regulations that reduced the availability of station wagons and other family cars whilst preserving the ability of farm trucks.