It's how much and what you drive, stupid!

posted by Jeff | Tuesday, May 15, 2007, 11:19 AM | comments: 4

If you look around and feel that, politically and culturally, things are really fucked up, eventually you have to look at people in general. I think people are getting more and more stupid every day.

Reading comments on news stories at various news sites, you can see what I mean. Take the rise in gas prices. People blame the greedy oil companies, Republicans, Democrats, the global warming "conspiracy," and my favorite, obesity. It couldn't be, you know, that people drive more than they used to, in big cars that get crappy gas mileage. That's crazy talk!

Two things bother me about this. The first is all of the nonsense peripheral "discussions" that come out of it, like liberals/conservatives are destroying the middle class. That's like my previous analogy somewhere that because of elephant, chair. People want to pin blame for everything on someone, especially politicians and corporations.

And that's the second issue that bothers me. No one wants to take any responsibility or action themselves. I perceive it as being so bad that I'm finding myself fall into my more idealistic feelings, to do something.

So gas prices are up, and you don't like it. What are you going to do about it? You can throw your hands up in the air and do nothing, or you can make lifestyle changes that save you money. It's not a hard thing to figure out. It's far more constructive than coming up with asinine theories in the realm of macroeconomics and politics.


Comments

dj

May 15, 2007, 3:50 PM #

I did something about it. I got rid of my truck, which got a whopping 14.6 mpg combined, and replaced it with a little coupe that gets 30 mpg combined. Now I giggle just a bit every time I fill my tank.

May 15, 2007, 3:53 PM #

This thing about boycotting gas stations on May 15 burns me up. Don't people realize this will have zero effect on gas prices?

If they really wanted to do something, they would all carpool one day a week. But I guess that's too much of a sacrifice.

Jeff

May 15, 2007, 4:10 PM #

Exactly. That floors me that people don't understand that. Buying gas a day later, you're still buying the gas!

Carrie

May 15, 2007, 6:01 PM #

Yes, common people trying in dumbass ways to manipulate the economic theory, terrifies me to the core. These same people wouldn't dream of boycotting say Wal-Mart to help bring balance in retail competition. Why? Because they perceive themselves to be getting a bargian at Wal-Mart... doesn't matter that one day they may not be able to find the products they have used for years, because Wal-Mart put the manufacturer out of business when they decided not to carry it anymore.

I am blessed to be able to afford gas even at the higher prices, but conserving as much as is feasible is the smart thing to do. What terrifies me the most is the idea that there was a time when people had to wait in line to be able to get gas because the supply was so limited. I would hope that never happens again.


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