Let’s talk about Super Bowl commercials. These are the best of the best of the worst thing about television.

These commercials tell us a lot about America’s year. They reflect our interests and attractions.

A record-breaking number of viewers turned into the Super Bowl this year, over 111 million – close to a third of our country. And the commercials revealed a lot about the culture of America.

We like sex, obviously. In one commercial, Adriana Lima convinced us Kia is sexy, an impressive feat. She also convinced every male to buy Teleflora flowers. And while I could have done without the GoDaddy soft-core porn featuring Danica Patrick (not only degrading to women athletes but weird in general), advertisers hit it spot-on. It’s a no-brainer: sex sells.

We like to laugh. Budweiser, Doritos and M&M aimed to hit the funny bone hard. Some fell shorter than others, but a continual focus throughout these commercials was making us associate their products with laughter.

We like cute things, especially babies, puppies and cartoons. E*TRADE recycled their talking babies, and Coca-Cola used those precious polar bears.

But the thing that was surprisingly present in the messages to America were the messages about us, about our country. The timing of the Detroit-based car industry giant Chrysler’s commercial, the final slot before halftime, probably cost a fortune, but “it’s halftime in America” was much more than a play on words about the football game.

The two-minute Clint Eastwood monologue narrated Detroit’s industrial struggles of the past year and associated their spirit of hope and courage to the American heart as a whole. His dark shadow and raspy voice were unrecognizable within the first half, and the conversation in the room was muted in order to hear the television.

I was pulled in even further when I found myself associating with some of his sentiments that were true to my own. I sympathized with the America he described and found the metaphor of halftime applicable. The year ahead will be pivotal, just as the last few have.

There is no denying the shadow of politics in the “car” commercial. Two minutes of praising the turn-around of the industry that was bailed out by Obama’s administration concluded with a reminder that “the second half” is coming up – hinting to a political connection. The Detroit-made car company denies the commercial’s pro-Obama message, but it’s not hard to see the reference.

Ultimately, the commercial tells us more about Americans than it does about Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. The words: “the fog of division, discord and blame made it hard to see what lies ahead,” were illustrated by signs of protest, televised politicians and then, their counter-opposite: black and white stills of families supported by cowboys, single mothers and factory workers.

The contrast between those in charge and the working-class American was not singular to the Chrysler/ Dodge/ Jeep commercial. General Electric highlighted how industrial America is the true heart of America.

“There are construction workers everywhere, and that means work – work for more people” one G.E. worker said, with her Louisville factory in the background.

So what are these commercials trying to say? They’re saying their products emulate America. But they’re also saying that we are a new America. One centered on industrialization and a job force of skilled labor.

This isn’t an unusual idea, but it is unusual to see this idea sold to us in the form of a car. Yet, it is an encouragement to Americans to pursue such jobs and embrace skilled-labor as a career, redefining the American middle class. And contrasting to Obama’s call for college for all, these commercials narrate and illustrate a labor force that has the potential to save America’s jobs and economy.

Eastwood’s face fills the screen, “this country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up and when we do everyone’s going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it’s halftime America, and our second half’s about to begin.”

Overly dramatic, prophetic and political? Perhaps. But the appeal to the American spirit appealed to me, as I’m sure it did many other viewers. These commercials say a lot about our America; while I may not agree with the subliminal political message behind it, I do agree with the work ethic it attempted to evoke in viewers.

It’s odd to see “American spirit” packaged and commercialized, but I’m sure people would rather buy that idea more than a new car.

SoRelle Wyckoff is the opinions editor of The Crimson White.