The image of the Ouroboros, or self-eating serpent, is one of the most ancient and enduring symbols of human civilization. It represents both the cyclical nature of the universe and rebirth from death, and it was first seen over 5,000 years ago in ancient China and popped up independently in almost all the civilizations of antiquity, including with the Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Greeks. Plato wrote on the self-eating being as the first life of the universe, and it was used as an alchemical symbol in medieval Europe. Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, wrote extensively about its symbolism, and Charlie Kaufman alluded to it in the movie Adaptation. In short, the Ouroboros is one famous snake. The cyclical nature of the universe is certainly a theme that penetrates many facets of life, including WilliamG.'s comment about auto workers-turned-haberdashers.
So every year, the hats are going to get bigger, heavier, crammed with more and more electronic gadgetry that wasn't tested in the same array of real-world conditions as the products themselves will be operated in, be susceptible to numerous recalls, be required to meet stringent impact test ratings, and become decried in press and popular culture as less attractive, efficient, and reliable as German or Japanese counterparts, while at the same time undercut at retail by cheaper, uglier, and somewhat less reliable Korean and Chinese upstarts that gain market share at an alarming rate, eventually forcing the Detroit-area ladies hat industry to seek government bailout assistance and begin a series of painful layoffs that necessitate retraining of workers to build... what? Cars?