No!
Having lived in a city-centre for the past 7 years, I could care less how much the price of gas is. I only owned/drove a car for about 2 years; even then it didn't really effect my cash-flow. Not the gas price at least. Accidents, insurance and parking are another story... For the past 2 out of 3 years I have spent absolutely nothing on transport to and from work. NOTHING! When people say I am lucky or spoiled for living close to where I work, I just laugh. I am not lucky, I am smart. I am not spoiled, you are an idiot! If people chose to live an hour away from where they are employed, they lose all right to protest gas prices. They lose the right to protest many things. Urban sprawl is causing much more damage than rising gas prices.
It only makes me laugh even more to see how many citizens are asking when the government is going to put a stop to this 'madness' and hault the rise in oil price/profit. How can any semi-intelligent person think the government(s) gives a damn. They are making money, lots of it! Do they need it? Probably not, but do they have a hidden agenda/goal in depriving you of your hard earned money, absolutely! Now what could a 'democratic' government possibly gain from a poor and starving community? POWER! Anyone in the rural areas is at the mercy of oil, and they will force that burden upon city dwellers when they rush the urban areas and rents skyrocket. It's already happening. They are being forced to either spend more money/save less, or move back into the cities, which have no room (because North Americans sure do love them houses). Either way the government is happy.
Why cause all this protest, unrest, poverty, hunger etc. etc. etc. whilst there continues to be huge discoveries of oil everywhere? Canada obviously has massive amounts of it, we are the biggest international supplier to the US! And their gas is cheaper! (not for long)
I'm not saying I totally agree with crazy conspiracy theories, but the last two films I have watched only help my brain hurt. I recently watched Zeitgeist and End:Game, Blueprint for Global Enslavement. Both films go slightly overboard in my opinion, but I agree with many facets of both films. If you haven't watched either, I suggest you do. If nothing else it may possibly make you think, or feel really really crappy if you beleive it all.
Both films outline how the world governments as we know them, are systematically merging together to form a world super government (New World Order) and in the end kill off 80% of the human population to provide for a more 'balanced' society of sorts. I told you it was a slight stretch, but it is very believable especially when they(the film makers) are continually being proven right by what happens in the world. Who knows maybe it's all a cover for something else that's a cover for something else. You can't trust much these days... Back to the gas >
What do you think would happen if the world appeared to run out of oil, and the price got so high that no one could afford it? People would flood to the cities, there would be mass starvation, third world countries would collapse without aid, personal travel would stop, international trade would cease. Basically if it happened today, in an instant, we'd be SOL. It's highly unlikely that the price of oil would jump a few thousand % in one day, but is it impossible? Who do you think regulates the price of oil? Just think what might happen. And go watch the films, if nothing else they are entertaining if you don't agree with them.
Sure there are many other ways of producing energy, but they are not developed enough, and continue to not be developed to a point where the world population could survive in an instant if need be. How strained would we be for energy if and when a third world war erupted? What if aliens attacked!?!?!?!?
As I said I could care less how much the cost of gas is, because it doesn't effect me personally, not yet at least. If every person on the planet chose not to drive to work the supply of gas and oil would be so overwhelmingly ridiculous we would never run out. Sadly even if people's habits were to change drastically, I fear it would have little impact on the major events that will most likely happen and change our lives, and the planet's forever.
Anyone for a walk?
24 April 2008
Gas prices, do I care?
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7 comments:
Congratulations for spending nothing on transport to and from work but maybe you should incorporate some realism in your rant. I feel the need to play devil's advocate. Being environmentally aware is one thing-You can have an eco-friendly person conscious of important issues but it is really realistic to suggest they move closer to their place of work so that you don't have to hear mass whining about gas prices? A lot of people cannot do this. Merely suggesting that someone who works say, in the central core of a city to live in an area where crime would be a high probability for most cities isn't exactly plausible or mentally sound for most people, especially those with families! I agree that urban sprawl is a waste of land but people would probably have to spend more money fixing up a house in a centralized area rather than building a new one in the suburbs. Consider people living on a low income, and those who need to support their families. If it's possible to get to and from places using a bike, community transport, or by foot then people should do it! But not all CAN do that. Gas prices are rising, but so are the prices for everything else! The price for food has shot up 5-20% on average for most items. Should they stop whining about that too? Perhaps they should buy some land and set up a farm with a couple cows and chickens?
You're delightfully crazy!
Sadly enough, you make a good deal of sense.
Very entertaining post!
If you were on meds, and you aren't, I'd be wondering if you were off your meds. Just being silly! I'm too lazy to send an E Mail.
I'm not suggesting they move closer to their place of work JUST so I don't have to hear mass whining about gas prices. There are many other reasons why it doesn't make sense to drive an hour to work. How about lost time? How about not spending an extra 2 hours a day with their kids? I realize it is very hard for people to make a switch, but it mostly stems from a lack of forsite into the future. It was awfully naive of us to think gas would always be affordable, thus allowing everyone to live wherever they want. People like to complain about pollution and 'global warming' but they still have to drive their SUVs. If cities would develop decent transport systems that didn't involve cars, then by all means people should live wherever they chose and feel safe. Most cities have a larger crime rate in the central core of course, but are most cities doing anything to stop it? In a city such as Hong Kong, with 7 million people, there is virtualy zero crime in the central core, with the vast majority of offences occuring in the rural areas. And it's not like there are 20 police cars on every block.
Possibly I am going crazy, but like Michael said, it strangely makes perfect sense. Nobody wants to beleive it could happen, but that doesn't mean we should refuse to admit it could.
Food prices are another issue, but we need food to live, we don't need oil to live. Stay tuned for more happy ranting!
http://healthandenergy.com/oil_crisis.htm
Downtown flats cost 1 million dollars compare to rural housing at 200k. (Numbers just to make a point) Does that make sense now?
Gas prices affects you too, you just didn't see it. Don't you use electricity, natural gas?
Most people would choose not to drive 2 hours a day as commute. Not by choice.
That argument is just as aimless as the rest of them.
Yes, SOME downtown flats cost 1 million dollars, many many rural houses do as well, what's your point?
Using your rationale, it should be quite an easy decision to buy an electric car. Last I checked they cost much less than 800K.
Of course I use electricity. Electricity can power anything that gas does, what's your point? The amount of natural gas I use yearly is most likely equivalent to what a Canadian house uses in one winter's day.
People have lots of choices. Unfortunately most of them want bigger and bigger houses so the thought of not having a big yard, garage, car, basement make them tremble at the thought of living in the city. They chose this lifestyle, stop whining about it and appreciate that you even CAN live in a rural area.
Not my problem gas costs so much, I'd happily pay higher energy prices if it meant I didn't die 5 years early because of pollution.
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