How much car do you really need? Part 1
Do you really need it, or do you just want it?"Thus my point isn't that people shouldn't be allowed to buy whatever vehicle they want," states Karl on Cars this morning. "My point is that you should be honest about your lifestyle and fully recognize when you really need a large, utilitarian vehicle and when you simply want one. For example, do I need a Ford GT? Nobody needs a Ford GT! However, I'm fully ready to admit I simply wanted one, functionality and earth-saving desires be damned. I'm not sure how many SUV drivers really need one, but I fear many of these folks aren't ready to admit they simply want one.
And at this point I have to add what really kills me is when these same folks, sitting in the cabin of their 6,000-pound SUVs/Crossovers/full-size trucks that they don't really need, claim to be earth conscious and/or scream "No blood for oil!" or "We need to stop being held hostage by our energy policies that subjugate us to Middle East countries."
Whatever folks."
Click here to read the Karl's full story
Labels: Foreign Oil Dependency, global warming
posted by Dahcredyns at
10:05 AM
9 Comments:
So Karl believes someone besides the buyer should decide what car the buyer should have. Extend the argument -- no one needs a car, so none should be purchased. No purchase, no sale, no manufacture, no Detroit. And No Karl on cars blog.
That would be nice wouldn't it?
How come when it comes to being "told" that you need an SUV is OK...but being told that you need a small that isn't wasteful is bad?
What logic are you using? I'd like to know.
I think it's lack thereof. Frankly, people don't have the right to waste resources. They don't have the right to buy big piles of shit and stick their stupid kids in the back for 20 minutes a day and then for the rest of time, have all 9 seats free.
People don't have a right to do whatever they want...it's called logic and common sense..a very sorely lacking commodity in this oh so dumbified country called the USA.
"Extend the argument -- no one needs a car, so none should be purchased."
C'mon. Let's be fair.
If you have a need for a large vehicle, buy it. But don't waste just because you want to.
In California, we have water cops in some areas because we have limited supplies of water. So, according to your logic, we should all be able to waste as much water as we want, whenever we want?
Consumers are making decisions on wants, not needs. That's fine as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, but it is a fact that America's foreign oil dependency is hurting LOTS of people - it's destroying the f'n world, but you don't WANT anybody to stop you from helping destroy the world?
Too bad!
Why should my son be forced to go to a place like Iraq to defend the gas-guzzling irresponsibility of someone else?
Thus, since consumers can't do the right thing, the government or industry has to, before we destroy ourselves and the world.
Dahc,
The bottomline is that people in this country don't give a sh&t about somebody else. That's the truth. They'll spit in your face and run you down to get what they want.
In the emd, I'd have to label Americans as probably the most hypocritical, self-delusional bunch currently existing on this planet.
All these advocates about environmental change...no one gives a rat's a$$ about the environment...they have shown that clearly.
All this complaining about kid's schools, and kid's welfare (and I'm not referring to you...just in general)...no one give's a hoot about kid's, their education, their schools, their safety. You think these dumba$$ soccer mothers who live in La Canada are going to give up even a portion of their lifestyle if someone told them their kid would be safer, or go to better schools, etc?? Not a chance...that's the bottom line.
I've probably said this before but I'll say it again. We live in a psuedo-democracy...where we are allowed to be free within a boundary....choose this over that..but that's it.
The problem is we are given choices and are allowed freedom of choice for the wrong things. The things we should not be allowed to choose because as a culture, race, collectively..we are too dumb to realize it's bad for us.
Go over to sites like VWVortex and see the type of arrogance and egotistical attitudes prevail about choice and what car to drive and "freedom"...that group is a prime example of "sheeple" at its best. And oh boy...you'll get no sympathy from them regarding your child having to fight wars...but of course, how dare anyone ask them to stop wasting or to send their own kids right?
How we are going to make it through all this is beyond me. I now live life on a daily basis...no planning anymore. I have no more faith or hope for people in general because it's been clearly shown that we are our own worst enemy.
Sorry for the rant....but honestly, the more I read some posts here from people, the more I realize how truly fked we are.
Rants allowed!
I have those same thoughts many times, and I think about moving to the country somewhere to spend more time with the animals rather than so many cruel people.
Then I think about my kids, and how I have to believe in a better future.
Also, there are a lot of good people out there. Unfortunately, they don't piss us off enough to get our attention!
A general response...If you demand that some entity deny Consumer A the right to buy the car he wants because there is a movement against it (SUVs are the current example), then what moral or ethical ground can you stand on when someone else denies you the right to buy the TV or computer or moicrowave you want, on similar grounds? Never mind the effects of using said car or TV or microwave. It seems to me that a small car is less polluting than a big one, but it pollutes. So the fair argument is to eliminate all cars. With the possible notable exception of actor Ed Begley (and even he drives an electric), I've never heard of any environmentalist who would give up his preferred creature comforts for a principle.
Anon:
Your argument is a classic "display" of what-if. And it's classic fear-mongering tactic among the elite and corporations alike. I, for one, do not buy that argument. Why?
Because we are dealing with limitations already. Limitations, laws, consumption philosophies, etc...that are already shoved down people's throats. So why is it such a relevation for some that "their rights" are being violated?
What does that indicate then? Does that mean that the powers at be are doing such a great job in masking their real agendas that no one takes it as a "squash of rights?"
The type of rhetoric is an extremist one...and one that again, is used with great success mind you, to complete divert the general dumb and stupid populous.
No one says give up everything...no one says stop the way you live completely. But what is said is use common sense. Use some caring and compassion with your choices.
People in this country are extremely selfish, extremely wasteful, extremely arrogant. How would you feel from outside look in to a society such as this when you yourself are barely making by?
No...people don't have the "right" to waste. They don't have the right to pollute excessively and purely for "comfort" and leisure. It's too bad that such applications of morals and philosophy cannot be applied evenly and fairly to everyone here but tough shit. Such is life.
People will need to give up their stupid evening cruising and traffic light racing, their stupidly retarded 8 passenger SUV's that they drive to work 1-2 hours a day stuck in traffic, fill up every 3 days.
I'll tell you why people in this country are the way they are...because they've not a clue what impact they have on others not so close to them geographically. If Americans felt or had to take responsibility and burden of even 10% of their stupidity and waste, they'd not know what to do with themselves.
It's going to be a real freaking mess in this country when people begin to really live responsibly.
Sorry to have to say this, nozferatu, but your arrogance is coloring everything you say. "I'd have to label Americans as probably the most hypocritical, self-delusional bunch currently existing on this planet." AND "I have no more faith or hope for people in general because it's been clearly shown that we are our own worst enemy." AND "People will need to give up their stupid evening cruising and traffic light racing, their stupidly retarded 8 passenger SUV's..." If that's the best argument you have -- calling people stupid -- your argument really is not worth considering.
Hmmm...
Well..so far, you've been had for the past 60 years with on-going wars, ludicrously wasteful lifestyles, consumer consumption mentalities, high horse mentalities about Americans being the best, the most powerful, the most righteous.
Yeah I guess if you want label me as arrogant for shedding light on American greed, stupidity, and self-righteousness, go ahead.
When you can prove otherwise, then maybe calling me arrogant will be justified...until then I'll chalk it up to having no counterpoint.
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