Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: F@%k It Friday: Gas Prices

Saturday, March 17, 2012

The Cynical Girl: F@%k It Friday: Gas Prices

Posted: 16 Mar 2012 03:45 AM PDT

We keep hearing a lot of noise about the price of gas in America. I know it’s not that high when you consider the limited supply of fossil fuels and the price of petrol in other countries; however, it feels high when you take into consideration that our wages have been depressed for the past twenty years AND we drive inefficient cars.

For the first time in my life, I paid $50 to fill my tank. Then I drove to Starbucks twice in one day and went to the gym — twenty minutes away. That’s life in the suburbs. I am my own worst enemy.

When I hear poor people complain about the price of gas, my heart breaks. They are driving older cars that need repair. Often times, local jobs are hard to find. Gas prices are an unfair economic burden.

When I hear middle-class white people complain about the price of gas, I want to scream. Those are my people and I know that most of our driving is discretionary. Your kids can walk to school. You don’t need to make seven trips to Target, this week. You don’t need to drive a ginormous car with two DVD players. Maybe your kids can learn to shut the hell up and behave without being distracted by TV.

This is why China is winning.

Anyway, I wonder three things.

1. What do you drive?
2. How many miles/gallon do you get?
3. What’s a gallon of gas costing you, right now?

I drive a Volvo. I get 23 miles/gallon. I am a liberal elitist, obviously. Go Obama!