Three Cheers for $4 Gasoline

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by coberst, Jun 20, 2008.

  1. coberst Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    949
    Three Cheers for $4 Gasoline

    Of course you must keep in mind that I am a retired engineer, living in the Smoky Mountains, who drives 10 miles to town once a week for groceries; these facts make it possible for me to develop a Solomon like understanding of reality from an Archimedean point of view.

    Quickie from Wiki—“An Archimedean point is a hypothetical vantage point from which an observer can objectively perceive the subject of inquiry, with a view of totality. The ideal of "removing oneself" from the object of study so that one can see it in relation to all other things, but remain independent of them, is described by a view from an Archimedean point.”

    Does $4 gas signify the beginning of the ending of a civilization of adolescent life styles divorced from the reality principle? Does it presage the beginning of the ending of a self-absorbed and largely fictional pattern of social behavior?

    I doubt it but I can dream can’t I?

    This morning I listened to NPR interviewing the mayor of Houston Texas speaking about anticipated efforts for completely remodeling the living and cultural standards of the citizens of Houston in anticipation of creating a city where citizens might work, shop, and live within walking distances of shops, supermarkets, and jobs.

    Reality seldom challenges salient points of hero-systems largely because the earth has been so bountiful; natural bounty has thus far allowed Americans to live largely in a world of playful fantasy that may be beginning to crumble around a commercial-military hero-system of fantasy.

    Socrates was sentenced to death by hemlock because he tried to awaken the youth of Athenian society to this very reality-principle; he died a hero in the eyes of history because he asked the youth to question their own hero-system.

    Will $4 gas lead you to question your own commercial-military hero-system?
     
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  3. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    It may finally lead to developing a RENEWABLE, CLEAN alternative energy source like HYDROOGEN that could be produced by nuclear reactors located in each state to manufacture all the hydrogen needed.

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  5. MetaKron Registered Senior Member

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    I hope that it leads to the total removal of speculative investors from the food chain.
     
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  7. Noone special Registered Member

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    It will lead to me buying a motor cycle.

    Actually I'm thinking of inventing a motor-uni-cycle that gets about 250 miles per gallon, give or take 200.
     
  8. madanthonywayne Morning in America Registered Senior Member

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    Increasing the cost of energy will lead to a lower standard of living, a dirtier environment, a less healthy population, less education, more disease.

    Certainly nothing to cheer for.
     
  9. Balerion Banned Banned

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    8,596
    Quoted For Truth! God, those people need to be dragged into the street and shot. Every single one of them. I hope some of them are reading this right now, actually. Hey! You! I want to KILL you!

    Anyway, to the topic of this thread...

    I certainly hope that Western society finally realizes that there is punishment for such ridiculous lifestyles. If you have ever owned a Hum-Vee, you're an asshole.
     
  10. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    10,296
    Why do you say that? Exactly what led you to select those specific things? Care to elaborate on each individual one? I'd like to understand your thinking - especially on the last three.
     
  11. orcot Valued Senior Member

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    3,488
    In belgium I pay 1,655€ a litre that's rougly 7,52€ a gallon or 11, 747 $/gallon


    Three Cheers for $11,75 gasoline
     
  12. TruthSeeker Fancy Virtual Reality Monkey Valued Senior Member

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    15,162
    See my thread: http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=81514

    Quick answer- nobody cares.
     
  13. TruthSeeker Fancy Virtual Reality Monkey Valued Senior Member

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    15,162
    Sure, but in Belgium people earn decent money. In North America people don't earn shit!

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  14. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    A woman at work just had to postpone/rearrange her wedding. They were getting married in Hawaii this Fall and now no one can afford to fly over. They have their tickets, but friends and family don't yet and the price just sky-rocketed.

    I can't complain about gas much. At least I'm not a farmer trying to afford putting diesel in all my tractors/combines. I wonder what their mpg is.
     
  15. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    43,184
    Exactly, it's the same here (The Netherlands).

    Poor Americans.. lol
     
  16. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    6,865
    Travel will actually be much cheaper in the future...because it will be electric.

    One quarter of the cost...in cents per mile.
     
  17. MetaKron Registered Senior Member

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    5,502
    One quarter of this year's cost or last year's cost?
     
  18. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    6,865
    Good question...its gone up a dollar in the last year.

    Last I read about was a comparison at 12 cents per mile gas vs. 3 cents per mile with an electric motor.
     
  19. MetaKron Registered Senior Member

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    5,502
    Right now 25 miles per gallon is 16 cents per mile for the gas.
     
  20. Prince_James Plutarch (Mickey's Dog) Registered Senior Member

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    It strikes me as voyeuristic-sadistic to cheer for the impoverishing of the majority of the nation by means of a basic commodity sky rocketting in less than a year, and the corresponding large-scale increases in basic necessities of life. Especially from someone who lives a pleasantly hermetic lifestyle secluded in the woods.

    Furthermore, I see an air of cruelty and masochism in chiding us for some sort of "illusion" of our beliefs in our culture. Do recall that the content of our cultural aspirations has in large part enabled the positive-life attitude and personal-strivings.

    Oh sagely prophet, decry not the Sons of Washington, for we art humbled before the Wrath of Texas Tea and pitiful in our starvation.
     
  21. Billy T Use Sugar Cane Alcohol car Fuel Valued Senior Member

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    23,198
    I think you would have a hard time defending this. I see little evidence for a "positive-life attitude" in US greater than countries where gas is taxed to make it cost two or even three times more. The same goes for "personal stiving" - In the US these "strivings" seem to be towards getting more material consuption NOW, with little or no concern for even the next generation of Americans. The current US generation in control has "maxed out" their credit cards and mortgaged their own childer's future with up-payable constanly expanding debt. They have left their children with an unsustainable "suburban infrasturcture" in an era of expensive energy. I see little to admire in this behavior.

    Perhaps you would give a little detail about why the "cultural aspirations" of the US are better than those of nations with >$10/ gallon gas. I see those nations as much more realistic and aspiring to a good but sustainalble future, not what the US has done to its own children.

    The "cultural aspirations" of most Americans seem to differ from Paris Hilton's mainly due to their not having her disposable wealth.

    If you were speaking of a "cultural aspiration and a positive for ME attitiude," I would agree that is common in the US.*

    Coberst's attitudes and life style remind me of Henry David Thoreau living at Walden Pond. Some "philosopher" you are if praising Paris Hilton "wanta to bes" and condeming him.
    ------------------
    *My first wife was a Norwegian and had the attitudes of most Scandinavians, which I admire. After 20 years or so living in America, she was more American than the average American - We could not drive 10 year old cars, "needed" bigger house etc. so we divorced.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 21, 2008
  22. madanthonywayne Morning in America Registered Senior Member

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    12,461
    My logic is simple. All of those things cost money. Increasing the cost of energy increases the cost of everything else while leaving people with less money to pay for it. All of the things I mentioned are things we already struggle to pay for. Do you honestly believe that service in those areas will improve when we have even less money to spend on them?
     
  23. Repo Man Valued Senior Member

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    4,955
    It's like trying to see the bright side of a diagnosis of terminal cancer.

    "I think man invented the car by instinct." - Jack Handey
     

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