Forum Post: (civil disobedience) tackling high gas prices...
Posted 12 years ago on April 30, 2012, 6:53 p.m. EST by slickrjt
(47)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
This will be a quick post (lacking the usual articulation): my Sociology professor (truly great teacher - fiery, at times a conspiracy nut, but all-in-all a damned good professor). He said all the attempts to influence gas prices by a "gas boycott day", where people avoid buying gas on a particular day, is futile. Its been tried many times before, and its failed many times before. If we, as citizens, are to make a real difference...we would need to organize a nation-wide boycott of a specific company (i.e. Shell) until they relent and lower their prices. If, and when, they do...the job isn't over - we, as citizens, would need to boycott another company for the same reason (to lower THEIR price). In capitalism, the consumer has a lot more power than he, or she, may realize. But the only way to use that power is to organize and act together. This is just something I was thinking about lately and thought I would share...
Totally correct. If one company lowered their prices due to consumer pressure, the others would have no choice but to follow suit. Fuel is a commodity, people shop based on price (and to a minor degree convenience).
In an oligarchy situation like that, they can instead get together and decide to keep prices artificially high. To make things worse, the fact that they are so vertically integrated means they can take all of their profits at the refinery level, to ensure that it is not profitable to operate independent service stations (margins on fuel are extremely low but they don't care because they cash in on the wholesale step in the marketing channel).
On the other hand, no offense to anyone but I prefer gas prices are high because it discourages consumption and outrageously large H2 driving... the best way to keep gas prices low is to figure out a way to be more efficient or buy a smaller vehicle.
The petroleum industry is possibly the only business in the world that is absolutely impervious to a boycott. Better to start with consumer goods to show the power of a unified boycott. If you get the attention of entities like WalMart and Coke, then, possibly later on, Big Oil.
A one day or a one dealer boycott will not work. Do one or more of these and you will be boycotting everyday. Buy a a car that uses less gas, inflate your tires to or above proper pressure, drive less, ride a bike, or carpool. Added bonus too, more money in you pocket!
Went from a 6 cylinder @17mpg to a 4 Cylinder@35mpg. Tires are inflated to 40 PSI. I drive less. I save over $600 a year on gas. I win, oil companies lose. You CAN make it happen!
Hi slickrjt, Good post. Best Regards
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I think one company at time has promise. Lets start with BP! ;)