BackStage

A friend from grad school gave me this song. It was from a CD she gave me as a continuation of a challenge to create a CD with your 15 classic songs–songs that have, or you think will, stand the test of time. The new challenge–to give each other 15 songs we thought the other person would like, but didn’t have. Talk about two great sources of productive procrastination. And, with this song, a complete success.

While the pink flamingos crack me up (this is the best youtube version of this song I could find), it’s the lyrics that got me thinking.

Some stupid chick in the checkout line
Was paying for beer with nickels and dimes
And some old man who clipped coupons
Had argued whenever they wouldn't take one
All I wanted to was buy some cigarettes
But I couldn't take it anymore so I left

I’m sure we all feel this way sometime–ready to kill the people in line. I know I have, and I know Husband has. The solution to this problem has been given to us–the self checkout line.

The self checkout line at your local grocery story (or at Home Depot) is the line where you can scan your own items and, in my experience, bag your own purchases. A consumer study found that self checkout was successful to the tune of $137 billion dollars in 2006. Evidently, this was expected to climb to $525 billion in 2007. I’m not sure though, because I’m unwilling to spend the $1,995 it would cost to self check out a copy of the study from the IHL group.

The study looked at who is more likely to use self checkout (such as those who make over $100,000 a year). The theory? Richer folks travel more and so are used to automated systems. That may be true, but I’m wondering how much that would actually explain selection into a line that would lead you to a cashier or to go it alone. Of course, some of this is time–I probably would not be willing to wait in line while someone was buying beer (or much of anything else) with nickels and dimes when there was a self checker available. But, all else being equal, can we develop a theory of why some choose to go it alone while others prefer the checker? I think so.

Of course I’m sure Robert Putnam would have quite a bit to say on the issue–but lets be “microsociologists” for a moment (whatever that means) and think of it terms of identity.

If we think of identities as the set of meanings that are associated with a social role and behavior as motivated from those meanings–if we act to confirm those meanings (identity control theory anyone?), then all else being equal (the lack of nickels and dimes in the regular check out lane) those that have identities that could be confirmed by going through the normal check out lane will do so. Who would those people be? Perhaps those who want to show a good parent identity? “I’m providing sustenance for my family.” Those who have strong identities that are supported through supporting the workers in an organization? Using self check out lanes does have the side effect of making cashiers redundant–supports the big bad grocer as they need to pay fewer cashiers when customers are willing to do the job others are paid minimum wage for themselves.

I am more interested of when people may choose not to go through a lane with a cashier. To some extent, we depersonalize the cashier. We buy what we need, and we try to ignore the fact that one or two other people are going to have complete knowledge of the kind of things we buy. It reminds me of a time in undergrad when I went through checkout and was purchasing a VERY large package of toilet paper. I lived in an apartment with 3 other women, and with boyfriends and friends who were frequently over, we had to have toilet paper for a large number of people. The cashier made a joke about what I was planning on doing with all that toilet paper. Five items back in the queue, I also has the jumbo box of condoms. He made no jokes about that one (although, I struggled to keep from laughing and making a comment of my own–as I imagine he was feeling pretty awkward at the moment). I know Husband (although, at that time, Boyfriend) was a bit upset. Perhaps people choose the self check at times because they want to keep their purchases private. It’s why certain businesses do quite a bit of plain brown package sales over the internet. Perhaps part of it is status panic? Supermarkets are often places we are put elbow to elbow with people across the spectrum of SES. Maybe rich people are avoiding talking to lower status individuals by using self check? Sending the message that their time and autonomy is too important to spend in line with the normal folk? Perhaps the self check lane is a way to avoid interaction all together–creating a false sense of a backstage?

Told you I was insane. I have spent many down hours thinking about this. CRAZY!

Thoughts?