Beam Me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 07/17/2008 8:09:32 PM PDT by CygnusXI
The Hybrid vehicle: The diet cola of saving the world.
So I drive a H3. Yes, I know I’m an evil, evil man who should be shunned (and if some had their way, stoned or attacked with organically feed dogs). As the price of gas increases so do the unabashed looks of disgust and sneers. Little do most know that my H3 get’s (and yes I checked it) 17 in city/hwy driving and 20 on the highway (at 65-70 mph), but I digress, this isn’t about the maligned Hummer.
Now I have absolutely no problem with people wanting to conserve energy or even save some money. I would be happy as a clam if my H3 got 30+ Mpg, but you know what? It doesn’t and that’s ok too. I buy what I like, as all Americans should. So far, we are still a free country with the choice to buy what we like. I did realize something just the other day though…
Hybrids are the diet cola’s of saving the world.
What? What on God’s green earth could he ever mean? Let me tell you.. since you asked.
You see there are many aspects to our lives and the energy, and resources we consume. The ideology behind the hybrid, and to be sure, behind the whole green cult..um.. philosophy is that we, as individuals have to do our part to conserve energy and resources so that there are both more for future generations, and of course more for the less fortunate among us, especially in "3rd" world or lesser developed nations. So, let me ask. How many hybrid drivers have plasma or LCD TV’s, two or more computers...
(Link for full article)
(Excerpt) Read more at fightglobalwarminglies.com ...
Thanks to global warming old Granny was finally able to afford an Escalade. I just wave a Texas “howdy” to all those I pass who are trying to cram more than one person in their kiddy car. Thanks Al Gore!
He is doing exactly what he claims the greenie's are doing - that is, assigning perceived political / moral value to what people drive.
So what if some people want to buy or drive a hybrid? As he said so himself in the article "I buy what I like, as all Americans should. So far, we are still a free country with the choice to buy what we like."
With that said, why should he care any more about other people driving hybrids than (rightfully so) what other people should care about his choice of driving a H3?
Assigning a political or moral value to your vehicle is the point.
I think you missed it. The point was, if you are driving a hybrid for whatever reason— fine. *If* you are among those (mentioned in the piece) sneering and such, then the article continues to point out the fallacy.
One piece of your carbon using life may be the diet cola of your consuming life, and yet you sneer— singularly because of your choice in car.
This isn’t about the regular Joe who just wants to save a buck.
Not a retarded argument at all.
Excellent analogy! It’s very true. You should have written about carbon offsetting too. If hybrids are the diet soda of environmentalism, what is carbon offsetting? I guess it would be the liposuction of environmentalism. Do all the harm you want and pay money to get it wiped away.
I don’t care what the enviros drive or why they drive it. I drive a Chevy suburban, so they also call me evil, and try to penalize me and my Vehicle. I also have a Chevy 1-ton with a 454, admittedly I don’t drive it much any more, but it is road ready any day I want to drive it, and It is no ones business what I drive.
barbra ann
nah, didn’t miss it at all, that was the whole point - his “reverse” sneering, if you will, is every bit as misplaced and pointless as those greenies sneering from some self-perceived high flautin’ moral plain. the author is simply practicing exactly the same in reverse - i.e. his own little moral superiority musing of what he perceive as other’s failing.
he has no real insights into some passing stranger’s lives and what the person may or may not be thinking. by in turn sneering at what he perceive this stranger “may” be thinking, he is just doing the same.
Cheers!
he wasn't talking government policies or identifying specific individuals who are publically pushing certain government policies. he was talking about random strangers on the raod whom he *thinks* is sneering at him and his hummer.
This reminded me of the Diet Coke and Mentos explosion on Mythbusters, maybe we really can have a Diet Coke car! LOL
Any individual Prius driver who sneers at him might not want to impose their views, but among the population of Prius drivers in general there are those who want to do so.
My take is that he was warning against the attitude implied by the sneer, rather than blaming any individual driver.
Cheers!
Well, I think there are some good analogies here.
First, diet soda makes people want to snack more. Hybrid cars make people want to drive more, and for some, be smug more.
Diet soda actually can be bad for you. Nutrasweet breaks down in the body to some nasty chemicals. The batteries of hybrid cars after awhile have to be replaced. Nasty chemicals.
Diet soda in most cases is an acquired taste. Hybrids, being smaller cars, are also an acquired taste for many people.
Diet soda makes people think they are ‘having it all’. For those who delude themselves they can drive a car and feel smug about it (batteries, high energy cost to make the car), they too think they are having it all, and saving the planet at the same time.
Ok, so lets remove the “thinks” and “what if’s”.
How about if it is couched in the “I know”.
So if he was to say that he talked to the driver and the driver said that he is doing his moral and civic duty by driving this hybrid, and that the H3 (or other non 25+Mpg car) driver *is* somehow less responsible, would that make the opinion more true?
Opinions are based on generalizations and conjecture.
This isn’t a documentary.
The jist of the piece is how people who may hog other resources seem somehow redeemed because of their car.. the diet cola of their otherwise calorie stuffed meal.
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