Altering Habits Via "The Force"

Brace yourself for a bit of economics.

By golly a gallon o’ gas is approaching $4 (especially in my urban 'hood). This means that to fill the big tank of my family-toting/gas guzzling, pseudo SUV it will cost approximately $72; and then if $5 gas – that would mean $90 to top’it off.

"Honey, instead of camping in the Black Hills, shall we consider the backyard instead? These prices just suck.” – Says this landlubbing, milk-drinking, Midwest born and raised... guy. It's just not fair. *sigh, poor us*

It’s kind of crazy how our habits or our values change – especially when outside pressures or “forces” hit us head-on. Stuff we really can’t control, but yet find means to react to. “The Force” as I'm calling it, is outside our control, but it pressures us to react and make some change in our routine.

This specific gas price action (or reaction?) may affect my families budget into the future (microeconomics): lessening our chances of eating out at a drive-thru restaurant, being able to afford going out to movies or attending a Twins game, or in an extreme case - reverting to one automobile… changes made that may be good or bad.

And what's interesting to me, is how our habits will change. How the food we eat may change – due to cost; How we may not afford popcorn or Goobers at the movies; How we may attend a cheaper St. Paul Saints baseball game rather than a Twins game. How we will drive less – and probably walk or bike more.

Also, what’s nuts, is that the price change doesn’t even take into account the external cost that emitting carbon out (of our vehicles) will have on us and our world. As our seasons warm (or disappear), will we actually place a cost, a force, a pressure, on this phenomenon? Or just continue on and perhaps wear masks - living with the external costs (a negative externality) of our day to day routine.

So, the loaded question is: what is it exactly that causes “The Force”, the pressure? (hint: supply, demand, the market)

We aren't in an oil crisis yet, but it's starting to remind me of another era: 1979-80.

From what I recall at that time - as a five year old… my parents bought a red wine-colored Plymouth Horizon. They probably rocked out to something by Lipps, Inc. or Bob Seger on its radio, similar to this. That Horizon was indeed a front-wheel drive, fuel efficient, lightweight hunk of man-made engineering.

And by the by, my kids are really digging the following commercial for the Kia Soul, which is perhaps a modern day equivalent to the Plymouth Horizon.... Well maybe not, but can anyone say - dancing robots?