 It seems we are in the middle of a genocide; a systematic destruction of our pocketbooks, college funds and 401K’s.
For the third time this month I find myself standing at a pump at my favorite Speedway. Fifty hard-earned dollars slip away at record speed as I fill up my shameful 14 miles-to-the-gallon Ford Escape. It’s hard to ignore that the scandalous rise in gas prices is demanding change. As the highways have seen a sharp increase in eco-loving, vegan-accepted, tree hugger-friendly hybrids sharing the road with an absurd number of gluttonous Hummers, it is clear that we, as young Americans, are in the midst of a revolution. The news is filled with segments on soaring gas prices and papers are plastered with editorials on precious black gold that ominously heads toward an unthinkable $200 per barrel. The question on most American's minds is what on Earth to do? The answer, for most, is simply to keep on trucking! And why not? I personally love spending upwards of $150 dollars a month on environmental pollutants. It must be like Christmas morning to fill your tank the way most Americans continue to ride around in their gas-guzzling cars without a second thought. We must all be hopelessly dim-witted to continue with our status-obsessed lifestyles. Despite the crippling blow to our wallets, it seems we have a love affair with the road. An infatuation so strong, we forgive the countless flaws in driving a vehicle and continue to pay the price. There is a certain freedom that comes with a set of keys that personally I am reluctant to trade in for a bicycle. Sure I may be digging myself further and further into debt, but think about it; I have the freedom to control my own destination, the freedom to choose how I reach it and the opportunity to discover along the way. Isn’t that what being young is being all about: discovery?
So despite the cruel murder of my bank account each time I fill up, I find myself returning again and again. Returning with a smile on my face no less, because with each gallon that drizzles into my tank, I get 14 more miles of freedom.
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