I thought I was just being overly-sensistive to begin with, but it's become quite obvious to me, over the past week especially, that there is growing anger in the broader (non-simple-living) community over petrol prices. I mean, people are getting really shitty, excuse the French; lots of comments about it being the "government's fault" and/ or the fault of the "bloody Arabs", every where I go these days. A few mums were commiserating about petrol prices yesterday afternoon at the school pick up; when I mentioned the phrase "peak oil" one of the women practically spat at me whilst retorting "That's a heap of crap! The [insert name of oil-producing country] are just greedy and want to get as much money as they can for it!" What can you say to change that sort of attitude?
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Firstly, the broader community don't know/ choose not to know about Peak Oil issues and the politics of it all, so I suppose to them it does seem unfair and "the government" should be doing "something" about it.
Secondly, for those in the broader community who may have some sort of inkling about peak oil, "Anger" is the second stage of the Kubler-Ross grief cycle, I discussed briefly in a previous post (the first stage being "Denial").
I don't really know what to do about it, but I feel that I need to do something because it makes me feel a bit fearful. Fearful of the potential for another (bigger) war over oil; political instability resulting from the Prime Minister being sacked as oil prices rise further; skyrocketing incidents of fuel theft from cars (which is already happening regularly); or even local rioting?
We need a method for turning that misdirected anger into positive energy for change. Maybe I should make up a T-shirt that reads "More buses now!", or "Safe bike paths for everyone!"?
Maybe the next time I sidle over to a group of people whinging about petrol prices, I should whip out a petition to our local Council to implement an express bus service into the city from our (outlying) suburb, and get them to sign it?
Thoughts? What would/ will you do?
8 comments:
It's interesting that you post this now Julie, b/c I've had a lot of similar discussions with friends and school parents recently too. Fuel prices seem to be shocking people out of their "safe world" of mortgages and consumerism.
There was an interesting interview with Richard Heinberg last night on The 7.30 Report - did you see it? I'm not sure how much longer our pollies will continue trying to pander to the community before they begin to accept the PO future and start speaking truthfully.
In the meantime I do think that supporting initiatives like GetUp's "Cut Through the Oil Slick" ad https://www.getup.org.au/campaign/FuelWatch?id=357&dc=430,332455,1
may help.
I have no idea what to do about this, I'm not really a natural leader so tend to just do my thing and if people choose to ask or follow me that's fine. I feel the time is coming though, for me to get more vocal about it all. It's scary and worrying and all feels kind of out of my control.
cheers Lenny
Hi Crazy Mumma,
I really think its worth a try. If you get a more positive response it might be worth broking the idea of a budgeting strategies group or the like.
It really isn't helping that the government is perpetuating the myth that its OPEC's fault. I was read a quote last week from our esteemed PM that basically said that all would be fine if OPEC would increase production, of course in saying that he is intimating that they actually could.
It might be worthwhile trying to find a term other than peak oil, something suggesting price rather than supply, as from a personal day to day point of view its actually being priced out of the energy market that is going to hurt not the amount of oil still left in the ground. Although you and I admit those things are intrinsically linked the majority of the community really isn't there yet.
If that anger isn't channeled into positive action to find solutions, like public transport links and re-establishment of local business areas, people will just get more angry as they get more and more desperate. If they know they can't get to work, school or do their shopping without a car it becomes a non negotiable even when the costs are disproportionately large... the US last winter had families choosing between buying heating oil or food, and doctors were seeing malnutrition in children to prove it.
Kind Regards
Belinda
Hi Em,
Yes I saw Richard Heinberg last night, great interview wasn't it? Pity the average Aussie doesn't watch the 7.30 Report though... And yes, I saw the GetUp! ad last night, it's a great initiative, I like their work and I definitely think that supporting them is worthwhile.
Hey Kate, I'm not a "leader" either, I'd rather just do my own thing and leaves other people to it - but unfortunately this situation is going to really affect my kids and that makes me both mad and worried! I feel compelled to do more than I am for that reason - plus doing "something" makes me feel like I am in control somewhat more, if that makes sense? Rather than helplessly standing by and watching it all unfold.
Hi Belinda, I couldn't believe Rudd's comment about OPEC last week, so unhelpful; I believe that it is contributing to the anger in the community, not helping to to alleviate it. What was he thinking?! I like the idea of finding a term other than "peak oil", but have no idea what? I do feel the need to direct the anger into positive action though, I need to do some more research into appropriate action and how to motivate people I think...
Cheers, Julie
Personally I am really hoping that it is just bad advice from spin doctors.... To think that our PM could really not have this issue on his radar is just too scary for words.
I don't know what to do either. I also have just been cruising along doing my own thing, making my own changes, joining groups of like minded people (and telling the non-believers about the groups). But I feel the time is here for me to become more vocal to those around me. I still find myself lost for words even when its close friends/family talking about "the govt Needs to do something about this!" and petrol companies/retailers/or whoever else has raised their prices are all greedy and to blame. Argghhh. Dunno. Makes things a little scary though when those unprepared people might then be the ones knocking on my door asking for food. All I can think of doing is having heaps of seedlings on the go to hand out for food!
Hi, my first visit to your blog! I am a recent convert to simple living & boy have my eyes been opened. I get really mad at the mainstream media and the spin they put on it... Not sure if this is right or not but I tend to believe that shows like Today Tonight never present a really true account of whatever they are reporting and the average Aussie watches these shows and blindly believes whatever rubbish they hear. I wish that more Aussies would really consider and research for themselves why the oil prices are so high and not just take the media's word for it. Then they might take steps to reduce their consumption... Tamara
Julie, I have had similar experiences over the last week.
I had some friends visit last week and I mentioned that the sky-rocketing price of fuel may make their company rethink sending them all over the country in V6 cars, and start hiring local staff in each capital city. They perform independent assessments of apprentices for a major plumbing company, all around Australia.
Once I said that, you should have saw their faces. It hadn't even dawned on them that they could be part of a "downsize" because of fuel prices. Denial is rife in the community at the present, and I wish the governments of the world would just come clean about "the end of cheap oil" (a better meaning than Peak Oil), and start engaging the global citizens in solutions.
Gav
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