I am so lucky that I am not human sometimes. Over the weekend here in the UK there has been the continuation of a lack of control, empathy or respect on the part of swathes of human kind.
There has been panic over some apparent shortage of fuel at the petrol stations in the UK generally. I say “apparent” as it seems that it is a total fabrication which has been set loose by anyone between people who voted to stay in the EU, the government, the press in the UK and Bill Gates. I haven’t heard him being blamed for it yet, but I suspect that his name is there somewhere. I would like to say that whoever is to “blame” is somewhat of a side issue as far as this blog is concerned. I fear it isn’t.
People with nearly full tanks of petrol topping up their cars and then filling can after can because they saw a headline that there was a fuel shortage. On many occasions the people didn’t “need” the petrol but just wanted to make sure they had enough. Had enough to do what exactly is unsure. Of course there are people who rely on petrol to ensure they can do their job, take someone to hospital or the doctors, their children to school or drive an ambulance, police car or fire engine to save lives. People queueing from the very early hours of the morning so they can get to top up their fuel tank. I even heard of people following a delivery tanker around to see where it stopped to refuel the petrol station. Fights on forecourts, road rage, roads blocked. It just seems so utterly selfish and thoughtless toward other people. I suspect many of those queueing to get their fuel were the same people who were buying 200 toilet rolls when the first quarantine was announced in the UK. No pasta, no bleach and no toilet roll. The attitude currently seems to be I’m alright and I couldn’t care less if someone else doesn’t get what they need. I got what I wanted, so all is good in my little world. There are a number of aspects here which I want to expand upon. I will try to be as apolitical as I can be.
Firstly I do wonder if anyone actually listens properly to what our lords and masters tell us. Since the vote in 2016 it seems these nations have lurched from one crisis to the next. On all sides there were lies and counter lies. Whatever anyones persuasion regarding the Referendum, I don’t think there is much argument over the erosion of trust between the general public and those who seek to wield power. For an example we wear masks so we try to do our best not to spread the virus to other people IF we have it. We don’t wear them because our leaders have told us to, more so to try and ensure that we retain some manners and courtesy to other people we come into close contact with. Various references to sheep or police states flow freely from some outlets toward those who try to do their best to retain some respect for those we live alongside. The television channel is turned over when politicians of whatever persuasion are on.
Next we turn to the media itself. They are the mouthpiece, generally, of those who seek to wield power. If there is some bad news to bury, they will conjure up a story about some celebrity or other person who will fill the pages of the media circus, and thus detract from the real struggles which are forever bubbling under the surface. This is true in whichever country you live. The media in general will let the general public know what they want you to know. As long as their publications make money, all is good in their world.
Then we arrive upon the general public who have amongst their ranks, large numbers who have been adversely influenced by the media and rulers for what seems a very long time. There has always been selfishness. After all it is a basic human trait which some can control better than others. Greed and “me first” are now much more prevalent due to the influence of those who control lives. In fact, at this point if anyone wants an example of how humans are controlled by what they read and hear (without thinking) then this latest debacle would make a fine study. There has been an erosion of civility and respect for many years. Many people have become conditioned to being greedy and expecting something to be provided. If he or she has it, then why haven’t I got it. Bigger, better and brighter. More shiny. I will get it at all costs, I want it and must have it. Everyone is an expert on every subject.
There are reports, albeit unsubstantiated, that this latest fuel “crisis” will mean that the petrol stations will not be refuelled sufficiently for one to two weeks. The same people who have hoarded fuel will be back complaining that there is still a problem when the fuel comes back on stream eventually. People at all ends of the spectrum of control have contributed to this debacle and the amount of finger pointing, accusation and counter claim is truly awful. Having said that, this behaviour has been going on for decades, and has been getting worse so I am not sure why I am surprised.
I am so lucky I am not human sometimes.
Dexter 
Sorry to hear this!
Yep, the quickest way to create a shortage is to suggest there is one!
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It just seems to be getting worse. Society is almost imploding and those who seek to rule are sitting back and laughing.
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I no longer drive (2005 was the last year in whch I did so) and thus I can watch the evolving petrol “crisis” with a certain detachment. It’s not the first such shortage I have lived through and probably won’t be the last. As your post implies, they are more notable for the stupid behaviour of humans than for any actual shortage.
If this one persuades a few more people to walk or to take the bus instead of driving, then it will actually have done some good. Perhaps we should make “petrol shortages” a regular event! 🙂
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I think there needs to be a shift change in peoples attitudes on this. In the cities, taking the bus or walking is an option however, in the countryside where the bus is once an hour or rarer, its not really an option. The current “debacle” of electric cars needs to be sorted out. The response to the electric car is so slow and ponderous that it beggars belief sometimes. There seems little or no appetite or leadership to say “you know what, lets do this. Let’s be the first to do this, be ground breaking and show other countries how its done”. There is so much skepticism over electric in the press and from those who seek to rule. Even the cars they are driven around in all seem to be polluting petrol or diesels. The energy companies (oil majors included) seem so quiet on new ways to power our homes and vehicles and again there doesn’t seem to be any one organisation taking the proverbial bull by the horns.
People will move from one panic to the next, greed will still prevail and those who need something will yet again fall foul of those who want and will have, to the detriment of others.
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On your first point, yes, living in London with buses every few minutes, night and day (with the tube and railway as backup), we do tend to forget that not every area is so well served. Travelling around Kent recently brought this home to us: buses were fewer and nearly always late, and not by just a few minutes.
In the rest of your comment you identify a number of pressing issues that are simply not being dealt with as urgently as they should. Leaving aside the self-interest and political bias (not to say outright mendacity) of certain groups, there is a strange lack of will to tackle the problems.
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Extra snuggles for your humans, Dexter. They’re needing them right about now.
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