Random Thoughts

RANT 3! Gas Is NOT That Expensive

Well, I have heard just about all the complaining I want to hear about the price of gas. Here is the deal. Do you have 20 bucks in your wallet? If you were thirsty, could you find a clean glass of water? If you wanted to stay up and read a book tonight, could you flick a switch and have light? If you took a poop, do you own a toilet that would flush? Well, if you answered yes to these questions, then you are better off than any of the following people:

3 BILLION people live on less than 2 dollars A DAY
1.2 BILLION people live on less than 1 dollar A DAY
1.3 BILLION people have no access to potable water
3 BILLION people have no access to proper sanitation
2 BILLION people have no electricity

Hey, I hate paying 3 bucks a gallon as well, but check this out. I live in a place where I make a nice living, my kids are well fed, they have great health care, and I not only can afford to live well, I can actually afford to SAVE money. We are a blessed, blessed, blessed nation. So, stop whining about the gas price. Is it high? Well, yes and no… check out this chart I found which shows, that while gas is at an all-time high in “nominal” price, it is nowhere near its “inflation-adjusted” high.

Sometimes, it makes good since to back away from a situation and really, really analyze it. Does it stink that it costs me a few more bucks to hit the 7-11? Do I cringe every time I fill up and it costs 60 bucks? Sure. But take a step back. THINK about all of the blessings we have.

This post was inspired by a frustrating conversation I had with a lady at our local gas station. She went on and on and on about the gas prices. “This is ridiculous…Look how high these prices are…Somebody should do something…” Meanwhile, she was filling up her 2005 LEXUS SUV. Now, I have no problem with folks owning nice things. I hope to someday own my own jet. The problem I have is someone complaining about gas, when there are people dying in New Orleans, starving to death in Sub-Saharan Africa, and suffering with AIDS in S.E. Asia. Grow the freak up! The world is bigger than your stupid soccer-mom universe.

Rant Over!

By the way, I am in no way insinuating that American “culture” is “better” than the “culture” of any other country. I am just saying, that financially, we have it pretty darn good. Also, if you want facts on poverty and potable water, just google “percentage of world with potable water.” I think you will be humbled and shocked. Also, I am aware that certain governments have created the very hard-ships under which their citizens suffer.