The Gasoline Hypocrisy

Gas is expensive. No shit. We all see it driving down the highway; we all feel it paying at the pump; we all complain incessantly about it whenever we damn well please. It sucks, and it sucks worse that high gas prices are likely here to stay.

But... what are we doing about it? Complaining? Yes, we've already established that. Berate ExxonMobil and the other large petroleum companies? Oh, yes... damn their profits. Damn them. Never mind that they are companies and they exist solely to turn a profit. Fuck it. They're easy targets. Still, what the hell are we doing about it?

Have any of us started new carpools to get to work and back? Have any of us started planning shopping trips with our friends and neighbors in order to save that precious gas and cut down on congestion? Have any of us jumped into the world that is public transportation?

Short answer: no, no we have not.

Oh, we'll complain. Oh, we'll adjust our spending to buy fewer DVDs and more generic groceries in order to accomodate our growing fuel costs. But, no... we'll be damned if we give up our personal rides in order to look like the dork riding in his friend's passenger seat. Appearances and status are everything, and, fuck me, it's worth $4 per gallon.

And besides, the growing clamor of so-called "worldy" people pointing out the fact that Europe and Asia spend WAY more on gasoline than we do is somehow causing us to justify putting up with expensive fuel. Call it the frog in the pan trick.

We're idiots. All we do is complain and do nothing to alleviate the problem. Buy a Prius? For what? About 45 to 50 miles per gallon? Shit, a Geo Metro did better than that, and that was 15 years ago.

No, we have at our fingertips a multitude of ways to help ourselves, but we won't do it. Hell, we could force high school kids to take the school bus. How much gas would that save? Probably not an insignificant amount.

Anyway, before I start to ramble too badly, I need to wrap it up. Basically, change your driving/riding habits or shut the fuck up and pay the $4.

We're all just whiny-ass hypocrites.

People Are Idiots

People are idiots. I state this because, well, it's true. For evidence, I point to the following:

1. Apparently many people believe that showing up for a single election and casting a single ballot for a single position (in this case, the President) will somehow change everything. Anyone with a real education and real political/government experience, however, can attest to the exact opposite.

2. Just as many people believe that using a turn signal requires that you look over your shoulder to see if you can change lanes, and then activating a turn signal. Um, no. The turn signal is not for the operator's benefit, it's for the operators of the other cars. Signal intent, see if it's safe, then do it. Not see if it's safe and then signal intent. If it's already safe, why the fuck would you need to signal anybody?

3. ExxonMobil exists for one reason and one reason only: to make money. They are not responsible to care about our energy woes, nor are they required to even give a shit. Don't get me wrong, they're still a bunch of assholes (evidenced by the fact that they do not intent to increase oil production AT ALL for the next couple of years or so), but the popular belief that whining about it is going to have some sort of alleviating effect has to go. Look elsewhere to solve the problem. Barking up a tree does nothing save make noise.

4. Quite a few believe that The Da Vinci Code is based on fact. It is not. Nor is Angels & Demons. Nor is anything Dan Brown has written. Still more people believe Dan Brown is an excellent writer. He's not. In fact, he's elementary hack. A shit writer with (admittedly) great plots.

5. The new movies of the Star Wars trilogy were horrible, horrible films. And, yet, they somehow made hundreds of millions of dollars. Hell, I could've proven the thesis of this posting with just this example.

6. So many people are buying into the Ethanol myth. Um... it's not much better for the environment than gasoline is (it's less efficient; therefore, we have to use more of it... and its exhaust is nearly as bad as gasoline) and it has the added effect of depleting food supplies. And everyone seems to wonder why the farmers are so pro-Ethanol. Hmm... BECAUSE THEIR PROFIT MARGINS JUST SHOT THREW THE FUCKING ROOF. See ExxonMobil explanation above.

I'd continue this, but I suddenly became very upset (from a completely unrelated cause).

Have a nice day... idiots.