The standout exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair belonged to none other than General Motors. Called Futurama, the display took visitors on a tour through an incredibly detailed - and mostly accurate - model of the continental United States as it would appear in the far-off future of 1960. Considering that the World's Fair took place after ten years of Depression and while Europe was descending into the madness of war, General Motors' imaginative optimism seems all the more impressive.

General Motors recognized the harsh facts in front of them, but nevertheless dreamed big dreams and worked to make them come true - they helped to create America's future. So what happened?

Steven Nestor, author of Everyday's a Holiday.org and a student of the 1939 World's Fair, put it bluntly: "In 1939, GM was dreaming of 1960. The problem is that in 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000, they were still dreaming of 1960." (For a gearhead's perspective, see Popular Mechanics' 10 Cars That Damaged GM's Reputation).

Like many large companies, GM became self-obsessed. The company stopped dreaming of the future and focused instead on defending its profit margins and past success. In the process, they became victims of reflexive self-delusion. This was apparent during a June 11, 2009, radio interview with former GM dealer Sam Weaver. He told NPR that GM had trouble selling cars on the affluent coasts because consumers sought status in an automobile, and the Chevy bow tie logo wouldn't look good next to the Mercedes in their driveway. "It doesn't fit their personal image," he said.

GM Marketing head Mark LaNeve agreed, saying, "From a cachet standpoint on passenger cars, we lost market position." According to the company, making the Chevy Malibu less ugly than last year's model will help them narrow the gap with Toyota Camry. That's right; he suggested that people choose the Toyota Camry because of it's styling, not because of it's competent handling, comfort, and unparalleled reliability.

In effect, LaNeve, Weaver and Chevrolet head Ed Peper used this NPR story to blame consumers for choosing the wrong cars. These guys have been drinking the corporate Kool-Aid. They are not dreaming of a better future, but chiding us for not respecting their past.

Until apologists for American car companies can be honest about their products' shortcomings, they will continue to blame unions, consumers, government and every other convenient target. And they will fail to produce cars that sell.

GM needs to hire some people who can distinguish creative imagination from delusional fantasy. They can buy all the awards they want, but brands are built and destroyed through customer experience, and customers have been saying loud and clear for thirty years that they prefer the quality and value of Honda and Toyota automobiles. GM built some bad cars and lost the trust of the American people. Until they face that fact and own up to what is happening today, the company will lack a solid foundation from which to dream up a better future.