this is just plain sad

in light of the recent dialogue that has popped up on mfd concerning the course of american oil consumption (mfd april 24), this headline is just plain sad. apparently, americans think that they can continue to ignore the crisis that surrounds them with their dependency on oil. news of this ilk should come as a shock, but than one only need realize that the same people that continue to make v8 engines popular in the middle of a global crisis willingly elected bush twice, despite his numerous missteps and the opinion of the entire world outside the us set against his re-election.

this is a small story in the grand scheme of things, but it is representative of a larger problem. the people of the united states have been so secure in their status as the end all be all of planet earth, that they make decisions based solely on self-interest. that is to say, if someone desires a certain outcome, they will secure that outcome at any means necessary, regardless of the consequences that may accompany this decision. the spirit of this type of decision runs contrary to ethos that put the united states in this position of a heightened global standing. 'the greatest generation', all those individuals that endured ww2 here and abroad in combat, raised the profile of this country by making countless sacrifices and making difficult decisions. we are quick to talk about our freedoms and liberties but rarely do you hear discussion about responsibility (individual and collective) and sacrifice.

i understand that america's unfathomable dependence on oil will not disappear overnight but i don't think that asking extremely privileged and fortunate residents of this country to make a more sensible decision when selecting their means of transportation is asking too much. thoughts?