The High (Gas) Price of ‘Feeling Good’
The motto "If it feels good, do it" can lead us to bankruptcy these days, when those good feelings depend on filling our cars with increasingly expensive gasoline.
From the moment the gas-powered automobile hit the roads in the late 1800’s it has symbolized the best — and the worst — about America. Private transportation allows us to live, work and travel where we want; it puts shopping, dining and entertainment choices within our reach; it gives visible status on the highway or the driveway.
But fueling that transportation now costs so much that other aspects of the “American Dream” are increasingly difficult to afford. That “chicken in every pot” that was once a sign of prosperity? After a trip to the gas station – where prices just hit a record $4 per gallon – affording even a McNugget Happy Meal is tough.
So we grumble and whine, but we don’t make the changes necessary to cut down our fuel costs. Why not? Because they’re inconvenient, and that’s not something that we Americans take kindly to.
This, people, is why we’re OPECs stooges: we gratify our impulses by driving. Feel like shopping? Drive to the mall. Don’t feel like watching TV? Go rent a DVD or head to the pub.
But therein lies our problem: we don’t feel like we should have to pay high costs for gratifying our other feelings. We have a culture in which our fun happens at the spur of the moment. Our convenience, our leisure and recreation, and our seemingly endless need for fun is at the very heart of our problem. We want it all, and we want it now, but we also think we should have it all cheap.
Many of us choose to live in suburbs away from inner city crime, bad schools and urban blight rather than placing ourselves (and our money) in the heart of things were we actually stand a chance of fixing them, if only by our presence and the efforts we put in to our own property.
As a result we live far away from where we work — yet complain about our long commutes and high transportation costs. Then we find it too inconvenient to stop at the grocery store or stop at a restaurant on the way home from work (because, after all, it’s a long commute already) so we demand 24-hour grocery stores that allow us to shop when we feel like it.
Conservatives like me generally love to slam the liberal left for the way they feel like they’re entitled to live off the fat of our taxes. But we’re no different. We’re no better. We simply have different priorities: rather than living off the money of our fellow Americans’ tax dollars, we believe we’re entitled to live off the lower profits of foreign oil companies.
Since when was it American and conservative to demand that a corporation reduce its profits?
We feel like we should be able to do what we want, when we want it, assuming we can afford it (or can charge it to our credit cards). And therein lies our problem: our sense of entitlement. Oh, I’m not talking about the “entitlements” like welfare, free medical coverage. I’m talking about the sense of entitlement that even right-leaning, conservative-thinking folk have: “This is America, for God’s sake, the land of the free.” Which means, ultimately, that we feel we ought to — as one airline puts it — feel free to roam about the country. Whenever we want. Wherever we want.
But we don’t want to pay for that freedom.
If you don’t – or if you can’t, here are some ways to save money at the pump. The key – do less of what you feel like doing and more of what you know you should even if it’s inconvenient. Even if it sucks.
Plan ahead: If you can’t get somewhere by walking, go when you’re already out and about. Take your shopping list to work with you and stop on the way home. Fill up your tank in the morning when you get more gas and fewer fumes. Do it on a Tuesday or Wednesday when gas prices are at their lowest. And when you get home, stay home. If you forgot something, pick it up on your way home the next day.
Pamper your car: Drive slower. The speed limit may be 65 but shaving 10 miles off that will make your gas last longer. Besides, when did you start letting signs tell you how to live? Follow your car’s maintenance plan, too. Keeping your tires inflated to the proper psi – instead of guesstimating — and changing your filters regularly reduces the amount of gas you use.
Sell: If you have a grueling work commute your wallet’s bound to be lighter. Move. No, seriously: it’s ridiculous for people to complain about the cost of gas while insisting on living an hour away from their office. Likewise, trade in your gas-guzzler for a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Sure, you won’t look as tough in a money-saving compact but if filling an SUV’s tank leaves you homeless you’ll look pretty stupid, anyway.
Stay home: Watch movies online instead of heading to the theater. Plant a garden. Sure, that borders on tree-hugging, but when you grow your own fruits and veggies you don’t have to drive to McD’s or wonder what’s for dinner. Besides, after a day spent gardening you’ll be too tired to think about driving anywhere.
Have sex: Aside from groceries and work, we drive places because we’re bored. Bars? Shopping? They’re the solution to having nothing to talk about with our spouses. Spark something up in the bedroom and you won’t have to pay for the fuel to find your fun elsewhere.
Granted, doing less of what we feel runs counter to our concept of being “free to be you and me.”
But if we want to afford the other trappings of the American Dream – that house with the picket fence, 2.5 kids and a whole chicken in every pot – then it’s time we start doing less of what we feel like and more of what we know we should.
Katherine Berry writes about current events and culture at Electric Venom.
 |
 |
 |
Podcasts |  PJM Home |
Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.
2. Stay on topic.
3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.
4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.
5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.
30 Comments
1. Bill in New York:This from a “conservative”? I don’t think so… it sounds more like a scarcity mentality to me. We live in a big country, and we enjoy freedom to travel, and drive around safely (and comfortably) in big cars. I’m so sick of getting these messages about how to save gas by putting air in my tires… it reminds me of the years with Jimmy Carter’s war on energy. So, we’re supposed to put our kids in the crossfire by living in the innercity to save gas are we? I got a better idea, let’s get the freakin’ libs to allow drilling for domestic oil and building of refineries and nuclear energy plants. If not, then let the price of gas go up until the profit motive inspires an entrepreneur to build an alternative fuel of mode of transportation that people want and will pay for (I see there’s a car company in India developing a car that runs on air as we speak). I don’t think we need to go back to the horse and buggy just yet.
Jun 8, 2008 - 5:42 am 2. mishu:Sell: If you have a grueling work commute your wallet’s bound to be lighter. Move. No, seriously: it’s ridiculous for people to complain about the cost of gas while insisting on living an hour away from their office.
Have ya read the papers lately? This is a lot easier said than done. Also, the idea that the office is in the city is not always the case anymore. Most offices are in the suburbs as well. In my case, the houses near my office cost over 3 times what I pay for mine. It’s far more economical for me to bite the bullet on higher fuel costs. Ideally, I’d work from home but the boss doesn’t like it.
Jun 8, 2008 - 6:00 am 3. amy:I’m with mishu on this one. I live approximate 35 miles from my job. I have a nice house, and I live in a place where the cost of living (gas, electricity, even food) is cheaper. So I’m supposed to move closer to work where everything is more expensive and pay 4 times what I paid for my house in order to save on gas? That doesn’t seem economically feasible to me. On top of that, taxes are also higher where I work and in most of the closer surrounding suburbs.
$4.00 a gallon gas compared to, more expensive auto insurance, food, and basic needs, a $$400,000 house instead of a $100,000 house, and property taxes per year of $4000 instead of $1500. I’ll take the gas.
It’s a nice thought, this article, but most of it is next to impossible for the average American to do.
Jun 8, 2008 - 6:28 am 4. Wacky Hermit:Here’s another idea: get to know your neighbors. If you are friends with your neighbors, then you don’t have to have several people drive to a restaurant or something to have fun with your friends; all you have to do is throw a potato salad on the table and some chicken on the barbecue. Instant party!
Jun 8, 2008 - 6:52 am 5. Cawdor:LOL .. a conservative who capitulates to the state ..
The way for conservatives to make a change is to go back in what we believed in and make it happen instead of selling out
Jun 8, 2008 - 7:32 am 6. dre:“where prices just hit a record $4 per gallon”
How about drilling for more oil? Or is that too simple a solution.
Jun 8, 2008 - 8:16 am 7. k:Wow, amazingly condescending. The urban coastals might not have noticed, but normal people live where they can afford to live. In this day and age, thanks to the stock-option trendy elites and urban taxitis, fewer and fewer normal people can afford an urban home. Hence, more employers are moving to the suburbs every day. The smart employers know they can’t pay what their employees would need to live inner-city, so they’re beginning to understand that THEY need to move to where their desired employees can afford to live. Urban may be trendy and chic, but it’s just not practical in this day and age. Our family’s livelihood is located in the suburbs, but we still don’t have any access to public transportation. I’m really surprised that the author of this condescending slop lives in Kansas; one would think she would know better.
Jun 8, 2008 - 9:03 am 8. chuck,:I’m with Katherine.
This is a very strange discussion. It’s like standing on the Titanic and debating the pros and cons of the ship sinking. Put me down as strongly opposed by the way, but so what? What are we going to do? would have more topical then, and it sure is now in our present situation.
Start drilling. You bet. Should have done it years ago. Build the refineries. You bet. Should have done it years ago. Build nukes. You bet. Should have years ago. Build cars that run on oil from beans, chicken turd and hamburger grease. Great. Go do it. But these things will take decades to implement. What, here and now, is to be done?
May I add: Commute to the job on the internet? Most of us are white collar papershufflers, which we can do at home. Use the car for the occasional meeting. True, working at home requires self-discipline, since there’s no boss staring over your shoulder. But self-discipline is a conservative value, isn;’t it?
My two cents.
Jun 8, 2008 - 9:03 am 9. WR Jonas:One can certainly feel the anger, misery and puzzlement from the author and the comment section. I want to deliver a more fundamental answer to those seeking some way to solve this problem. Vote every incumbent out of office.It is that simple .Let the politicians know YOU are fed up with a do nothing ,regulating to death , blame everybody else Congress.
Jun 8, 2008 - 10:47 am 10. Javelin:They swept to power 2 years ago and have not faced , let alone solved one single problem. They have not even proposed any reasonable program to deal with a single issue facing us today. AND ON THIS BASIS THEY WANT UNCONTROLLED AND UNCHALLENGED POWER OVER OUR LIVES.
Ask yourself this simple question. Will our lives be better when the Democratic Party has complete and utter dominion over every facet of every single moment of your life?
Think deeply about that when you vote.
Fine, I’m all for more drilling. But face it, that will make the rate of gas price increase slacken a bit. Though the market bubble may burst adnb prices will drop maybe 15% too. If people want to equate driving huge cars all over the place, then be prepared to sacrifice a big chunk of your salary for that. Otherwise, quit crying! From what I see on this wretched blog: conservative means being selfish, petty and self pitying! This should really send the MSM down the river.
Jun 8, 2008 - 12:21 pm 11. Ed Wallis:amy: A “$400,000″ HOUSE?! WHERE? WHERE?!
I live in an 850sf CONDO outside D.C. that would sell for that easily…even NOW. A ROW (!) house around the corner costs $1.1 million.
Points by you and mishu well made and taken…ha!
Well intentioned article, but….
Jun 8, 2008 - 1:44 pm 12. Brian:“Our convenience, our leisure and recreation, and our seemingly endless need for fun is at the very heart of our problem.”
I did not just read that. So much for the pursuit of happiness. I do not feel entitled to cheap gas. If the market dictates that gas must be over $4 then so be it. But I am going to grumble when a political party in our country stands in the way of increasing the supply of domestic production. Instead of people being forced to live in cities with poor schools, high taxes, pollution and frentic pace, why don’t we actually try and implement an energy policy which includes, nuclear, increased domestic drilling, research into alternative fuels, etc. etc. Their is plenty of oil, we just need to be able to get to it.
Jun 8, 2008 - 3:13 pm 13. Larry:The other side of the coin is the high price of feeling good about preventing oil exploration in ANWAR and the continental shelf. That’s the feel-good buzz that we really can’t afford.
Jun 8, 2008 - 3:28 pm 14. Rachel:Wow, touched a nerve much?
I live at home with my parents over the age of 30 because I cannot afford to live on my own. But when I lived on my own, I never understood why people ran off to virtually exurbia (where I live, people drive 2-3 counties to get to work on the claim of “cheaper housing”) while complaining about how eveything goes downhill in the city. Now, because my job is local, I spend very little on gas,compared to other things.
What Ms. Berry is saying is right, and I think it’s a hard pill to swallow for folks who always thought things would be easy. Americans have the lowest savings of any nation and you can’t blame Bush or the Dems or Congress or oil drilling. No one complained about drilling until the prices came too much and now all of the sudden people think gas will fo back to 1999 prices overnight.
Read The Overspent American by Judith Schorr sometime. She wrote that in the 90’s when we had a better economy.
Jun 8, 2008 - 3:34 pm 15. Rachel:correction:
Jun 8, 2008 - 3:36 pm 16. Larry:No one complained about drilling until the prices came too much and now all of the sudden people think gas will fo back to 1999 prices overnight if we suddenly announce we drill somewhere offshore or North Dakota.
The price of oil is only one issue wrt domestic production. There’s also that tiny issue of balance of trade. Nobody knows what the effect of bringing another mbd or two on the world market will have on the worldwide price of oil, but that’s not the primary issue. The primary issue is what gets paid to the Saudis and Venezuelans and other unsavory regimes. At current prices, 1 mbd is $135,000,000 per day, or about $50 billion a year. We can’t afford to give that away simply because of some fantasy about the tundra in Alaska being pristine (ever been there? I have), or that current production technology is risky. It isn’t.
Same for offshore rigs. They can’t be seen over the horizon, because (news flash!) the earth is round. Get the oil, or let the Chinese do it from the Cuban side. But that’s ok, isn’t it, because that’s socialist oil…
Jun 8, 2008 - 3:54 pm 17. mad anthony:But if I stay home instead of going to bars, how will I ever meet anyone to have sex with?
As far as moving or trading in my pickup for something smaller, I’d just be trading one cost for another – I’d lose more on selling my house in a down market and trading in a truck while resale is low than I would save on gas.
I did live in an apartment in the city before I bought my house in the burbs. Sure, I miss my 10 minute commute, but I don’t miss parking tickets, being hassled for change, or paying 1/3 more for car insurance.
Jun 8, 2008 - 4:42 pm 18. freetoken:“We feel like we should be able to do what we want, when we want it, assuming we can afford it (or can charge it to our credit cards). And therein lies our problem: our sense of entitlement.”
Amen.
This is the nerve that has been hit.
That is why so many of the respondents are champing on their fantasies (e.g., that somehow North Dakota, ANWR, or offshore California or Florida will somehow lead to the US importing less) and not wanting to face the reality… which is, every day, all over the world, tens of thousands of people are drilling thousands of wells (including in North Dakota) in search of oil. This is done to replace depleting sources currently tapped on top of trying to increase net supply.
There is no easy answer to the problem of expensive oil (and gasoline.) Thus the author’s call for conservation has great merit.
Turning Canadian tar into useful products is a slow and expensive proposition. Turning US coal into liquid products is an even more expensive proposition. Likewise the turning of kerogen shale of Colorado into useful products (if indeed anyone figures out an economic way of doing it.)
Even in section 1002 of ANWR, the most likely location in the US to have meaningful oil resources, the actual amount produced will be at best only enough to cover the depletion of production from current US production (including from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.) And then, just like in Prudhoe, oil production in ANWR will deplete (e.g., currently the north slope of Alaska produces only about 36% of the oil it did at peak in 1988.)
The long term answer is, and this has been known for some time, to transition to an electricity (generated by nuclear, solar, and wind) based form of transportation.
Yes, by all accounts there are still large resources of very low quality (extra heavy) oil in the world, but most of it is not in the US, thus if you want to continue to use gasoline (or diesel) you will be committed to importing fuel (and exporting very large quantities of dollars) until oil truly does run out.
So I endorse the frugality that the author is championing.
Jun 8, 2008 - 5:21 pm 19. lee:This articiale sounds like an editorial from an Asian newspaper. “Scrimp and save! We all must take the part and save the country”
Some Americans will take this opinion the wrong way, but it’s KINDA true. Some Asian countries can actually begin a “let’s all save gas” drive among the masses with nationalistic zeal. In South Korea where it takes 100 bucks easy to fill up an empty tank people will just take public transportation. Speaking of public transportation, don’t you wish America (I realize some states are ahead of the game) had a world class public transportation. Many Japanese will simply take the subway to their work, far or near.
Jun 8, 2008 - 7:57 pm 20. Javelin:Heck, let’s work on simple things like build bike and pedestrian paths so people can walk a quarter mile to a store instead of driving a mile and contributing to congestion. It’s amazing that people whose houses abutt the back of a shopping center should NEVER walk but drive every darn place. Paths are simple and cheap and beat overpriced and economically ridiculous mass transit systems like light rail.
Jun 8, 2008 - 8:59 pm 21. MikeT:This article is actually quite accurate for Northern Virginia. Too many people here just act like it’s their God-given right to “have it all.” They want their big SUV, but God forbid they actually have to pay $100/week to fill it up with gas. They want their convenience, but don’t want to pay for it in higher costs.
The reason we have the Social Security and Medicare crisis is because of the fact that many Americans act like retirement and subsidizing their healthcare costs is someone else’s duty. If you can’t do what you want on your own resources, then you have to adjust your life.
Jun 9, 2008 - 5:23 am 22. Heather:Many of us choose to live in suburbs away from inner city crime, bad schools and urban blight rather than placing ourselves (and our money) in the heart of things were we actually stand a chance of fixing them, if only by our presence and the efforts we put in to our own property.
Never actually lived in one of those bad neighborhoods, have you? You can’t “fix” people who don’t want anything more than to collect what they’re getting handed to them free. Your presence and “effort” are just invitations to crime–look, a wall that hasn’t been tagged, a wallet that has some cash!
Instead of blaming people who work hard so they don’t have to live with the filth for choosing to live where their families are safe, how about blaming the degenerates that destroyed the cities in the first place? I’m looking at you, welfare state liberals…
Jun 10, 2008 - 10:47 am 23. Petrol Punditry:[...] article about “The High (Gas) Price of Feeling Good” is up at Pajamas [...]
Jun 11, 2008 - 5:38 am 24. Katherine Berry:Actually, I lived in several “bad” neighborhoods otherwise considered the “DMZ” in Kansas City. But thank you for proving that old saw about people who make assumptions.
Jun 11, 2008 - 9:05 am 25. Eilish:I think Ms. Berry is actually just trying to say: Take economical steps to reduce your energy bills or stop whining about it! I’m all for increased drilling, nuclear power, new technology, etc., but those will all take awhile. In the meantime, we all have choices about how we live our life and spend our money. If you make choices that will end up costing more in the long run, don’t whine. Nothing she says in this article promotes government intervention, just common sense. We pay for the lives we choose. Just accept the consequences of the choices you make or take steps to change them. Don’t whine about it–that’s what we have liberals for!
Jun 11, 2008 - 10:00 am 26. Gozer the Carpathian:I love how folks just gloss over the idea of increased supply by saying “it’ll take a while.” Well duh! Of course it will, so no time like today to start now is it?
What I always hate about these discussions is that they’re always focused on the urban or suburban folks. Does anyone ever question what those of us who don’t live anywhere near a city feel/think? Nah, didn’t think so.
Now I agree with the idea that we should conserve what we can. We’re conservatives after all, but at the same time we have every right to complain about paying for what we’re getting. The key part of that is that we are PAYING for it. It’s not given to us, nor are we asking it be given to us. We just want something done about some of the stupid costs involved.
40+ different gas mixtures in the nation?
Sales tax, gas tax, road tax, smog tax, etc?
Capping off low producing (but still producing) wells because the taxes on running them make them no longer profitable?
Complaining the oil wells ruin the view?
Yes, we’re all going to have electric cars or what have you SOMEDAY. That’s lile saying Windows will be bug free SOMEDAY. (Hehe) Alternatives are out there, we just haven’t figured out a good one yet. So what we need to do now is make the most of what we’ve got. So wine, bitch, complain, and moan. It’s your right because you’re paying for it! Just be prepared to PAY for it.
Jun 11, 2008 - 8:13 pm 27. ronnor:For 30 years the Democrats have been leading us to this place with their no nuclear, no coal, no coal slurry gasification, no drilling, no mineing. If they had wanted to ruin the United States they couldn’t have picked a better way, slowly but surely turning the most innovative and productive country in the world into a 3rd world country through lack of energy. Since I have little regard for politicians and don’t trust them to do the “right thing” I’ve come to the conclusion that there is something else involved. I’ve read that the Arabs are making just off of the United States over $650 Billions of Dollars and being the suspecious person that I am I have started wondering if some of the huge amount of money has been coming back to those who have caused this reverse cash flow. Arabs being known for bribery and politicians being known to accept them isn’t it at least possible that those who have said no to every chance we’ve had to better our energy sources been taking bribes for the benifit of the oil producing countries; seems like a very smart thing for them [the Arabs] to do. The ‘greens’ are funded by some strange outfits also, couldn’t they be funded by the Arabs to our detriment? The buying of 100 attornies to cause law suits and slow downs, what a couple of billion dollares when there is a $650 billion dollar pie to split. There is so many PAC’s [political action committee's] funded by people whose real motives are hidden, the trusts which give funds to ‘greens’, the out right bribes of money in Swiss Accounts, doesn’t it seem the smart thing for the Arabs to do when they are making $650 Billion and counting? Just why would the politicians be ruining their own country unless they were being stupid or on the take. I’ve never thought the politicians stupid and that leaves the latter, how about some investigations of these politicians who just seem to be idiots. Obama says get used to it, forget your SUV’s and good food but I don’t see he or any of the eliteist’s friends of his giving up anything. You trust politicians and you probably believe in the tooth fairy.
Jun 12, 2008 - 5:26 pm 28. Jim:We’re all missing one big factor in the reason for the gasoline price rise – the devaluation of the dollar. I live in China (English teacher here), and the price of gas has stayed steady here for a full year here – 4.97 yuan per liter. This is for 2 reasons: 1. the Chinese are in the oil buying market in a different way; 2. The Chinese yuan is steady with the world’s currencies, whereas the dollar is dropping. I think the biggest reason for the drop in dollar value is the massive federal debt is coming home to roost. The government is borrowing at a rate of $1 trillion per year now, and lenders are drying up. So we now are starting to just print money. Watch for general inflation to come soon!
Jun 13, 2008 - 10:06 am 29. TONY:“CHANGE”?? ,,I HOLD IT IN MY HAND..TAXING AND SPENDING FOR 45 YEARS .THE LAWS THAT WERE MADE 40 YRS AGO WILL HAVE TO CHANGE “FIRST”..45 YEARS OF WASTE,.. NOW PAY FOR IT..
Jun 17, 2008 - 6:31 pm 30. STEVE DUNKLEY:you people have got it all wrong the central problem of high gas prices, food prices, house prices is the is the inherent problem of capitalism it self to provide for greed rather than need. Of cousre capitalists will look profit in any they can this will at times take the form of essential commododoties such as food shelter, health and oh yes energy resources when capitlists fail to to make a profit on one essential item they wil speculate on another we saw in the sub prime crises when desperate financial institutions bet on giving people high interest loans to people who were unable to pay them back why not give people housing free? its cheaper for every one. its strange that when times are good these people will boast about a so called free market system untill they are victims of its brutalty. of cousre they expect their lackeys in the state machine to bail them out., leaving poor homlesss workers faceing the cold wind of the market. All capitalism can offer us is hunger,inflation war for enegrgy rescourses,inflation,deflation, stagflation, ressesion and depresion economically and mentally. what we need is a true democracy that cannot exist under capitalisim the democracy of disturbuting rescources fairly not voting for two brands of cola differnt names but essentially the same. sweet and sickily and offering no nutrition caplitalism does not offer us true choice but rationing by money and that money is buying us less and less.
Jun 18, 2008 - 2:47 am