Oil is a global commodity. We are not insulated from the impact of an interruption of the flow of oil from the Middle East, which supplies more than half of the globe's exportable supply. The price of oil would go through the roof plunging the world economy into a recession and depending on how long the supplies were interrupted, into a depression.
If gas goes to $10/gal, I think the United States could and would cut consumption in half through change in habits, and we produce that much oil. I don't think the rest of the world has that margin of discretionary use.
The US imports about 60% of its daily oil requirements or about 11 million bbls of imported oil a day. $10 a gallon gas would not alleviate the consumption requirements for those who need to go to work or the trucks that carry most of the nations domestic cargo. Our economy would tumble from any such price increase for gasoline. What you may deem as "discretionary" is essential to others to keep their businesses operating and their prices competitive.
I'm not claiming there wouldn't be pain, but there is pain now. If a great deal of pain is to be had, best to have it on our terms and to some purpose.