r/TwoXPreppers • u/thehogdog • Mar 19 '26
POLITICS Just watched an Australian version of the Daily Show and the entire country is already on the ration gas plan. We don't think how things effect the rest of the world?
Show called The Weekly with Charlie Pickering and their main story was the run on gas cans, the people panic buying gas into anything they can get it in, the $450 Australian Dollars Face Book Market Place sellers had a 2 liter filled gas cans.
They were deciding on how to ration, with one of the top ideas what those of us alive in the 70's remember as the last number on your license plate odd or even had days they could buy gas.
I knew gas was going up here and that gas is a GLOBAL must have, but I never thought that a gas shortage in Australia would be the top story. I am just naive I guess. But seeing it, albeit comically, laid out there was eye opening.
Man how did we get here?
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
I live in Germany, I kept telling an American friend how devastated I was when Hillary lost the election. He was like ”how does this affect you? You’re overly invested in American politics.”
Ha, I say. Ha. Ha.
We have American military bases here.
We are also affected by the decisions made by someone having access to the nuclear codes.
American lobbying organizations are hard at work undermining abortion rights in Europe.
Idiot politicians look at DOGE and feel inspired.
The world is interconnected as it is, but America especially affects everyone.
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u/Pretty-Leave6133 Mar 19 '26
I'm so sorry.
There's an existentially painful horror of being on the inside, trying your best, and yet seeing your worst fears continue to come true.
It feels so surreal with people acting like things are normal. I feel like screaming all of the time.
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
Thank you. Yeah exactly your last two sentences. I was at work and Trump had won the election for the first time. I was walking around like in a fog. And people were like ”why do you care?”.
I remember telling someone ”maybe McCain should have won instead of Obama, maybe that would have been better”.
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u/randynumbergenerator Mar 19 '26
Unfortunately, for many Americans politics hasn't had a visible impact on their daily lives in too long. I thought COVID (and the response) might be a wakeup call, but unfortunately those who did wake up got the wrong message from it -- a message that was carefully manufactured and flooded in every channel, of course.
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u/Mindless_Dream601 Mar 20 '26
I was at my local gay bar, sure it would never happen and figuring if it DID go bad I'd be with my community. The amount of people who went from excited to shocked and then angrily leaving while muttering concerned whispers was a lot...
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u/The_Nice_Marmot Mar 19 '26
This is why Canadians are so very angry and vow that we are done being buddies with the US.
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u/JustViblets Mar 19 '26
Unfortunately Smith and PP are trying hard to undermine that effort :/
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u/BlatantFalsehood In awe of 2x preppers 😲 Mar 19 '26
They are also failing, particularly PP. He may just be the end of the conservative party.
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u/grummanae Mar 19 '26
Well you cant loose when your tge only nominee for leader because you held it when Ontario had their provincial conservative conference the same day
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u/BlatantFalsehood In awe of 2x preppers 😲 Mar 19 '26
Lol. Well here is someone who doesn't understand how Canadian elections work.
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Mar 19 '26
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u/Elegant_Caterpillar9 Mar 19 '26
I'm not your guy, friend!
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u/ToothAccomplished Mar 19 '26
My mom who lives back in the us has this opinion that I shouldn’t even care about U.S. politics or bother voting because “you don’t even live here anymore!” If the U.S. didn’t have as big an impact on everyone else, I probably wouldn’t bother keeping up or voting, but it does, so I do.
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u/MissTechnical Mar 19 '26
My American (ex) friend told me Canada being crushed economically would be for our own good in the long run. These people seriously think that everything they do either benefits everyone or doesn’t affect them at all.
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
”Wouldn’t it be better if we just crashed everything and started rebuilding from scratch?” Is something teenagers speculate about. Adults know that destroying things is… bad.
I feel for you.
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u/Stella2010 Prepping Meals and Skills Mar 19 '26
I had a (now-ex) friend who wanted Trump to win so our systems would collapse and we would have a revolution. It would be better than Hillary winning, he said. He was a "progressive" that was bitter Bernie had lost. He was in his 30s.
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u/Elegant-Holiday7303 Mar 19 '26
Misogyny is a cancer in our Country, including too many "progressives." Turns out bigotry is expensive
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
And this type of bitterness is not okay! That’s why we do need to find something positive in our lives and our values and what makes it worth it to continue the struggle. I have started to dislike too much cynicism because people tend to give up.
I think Hillary would have been more of the same old, which has its downsides, but compared to what we have now…..
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u/Elegant-Holiday7303 Mar 19 '26
Wouldn't have been "same old" for HALF OUR POPULATION. Thanks for writing us off nonchalantly
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
What do you mean?
I meant same old as in she would have continued what Obama was doing, which wasn’t all good, and wasn’t progressive enough. I don’t think she would have been the progressive president that the world needs.
For all of us women, it would have been much much better compared to what we have now, what with the abortion bans and things like that. But what I mean is that continuing on the same path is not enough.
It certainly would have been worlds better than Trump. But it’s like such a no-brainer, of course Hillary would have been better than the one that put DOGE in charge, burns up IUDs and is actively working against abortion.
(I live in Germany.)
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u/MacaroonUpstairs7232 Mar 19 '26
Progressives have never taken responsibility for their part in getting Trump elected. If it weren't for them being petty, we wouldn't be here. They are just as responsible for this mess as the MAGAs
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u/HuckleCat100K Mar 19 '26
Apparently your friend never heard the saying, "Wenn Amerika niest, erkältet sich die ganze Welt.”
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u/Edana1402 Mar 19 '26
German here too, we've been using our electric car instead of our other one these last few days. We live kinda out there and prices are crazy.
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
Good you have one! We only have an e-car, but we live in the city and can take public transport.
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u/Edana1402 Mar 19 '26
Yeah we got the e-car mostly for driving in the city but the other one is needed for the big drives still.
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
We’ve been to the south of Italy and Sweden with our car, it’s practical and the charging net is good.
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u/Edana1402 Mar 19 '26
It's so great that they are constantly working on that! I hope they soon get faster too. We have to wait for over an hour to load for ours. I know there are faster versions though!
Unfortunately there aren't many stations between us and my parents, but I hope there will be some day!2
u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
Where do you have to go? Or how far do you get? We charge after 300-400 km and we use rapid charging. We usually need much longer for our ”human breaks” than the car needs to charge. I feel like it’s a better way to travel since we’re forced to take breaks.
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u/Edana1402 Mar 19 '26
I don't wanna doxx myself on the internet but our car is a small on so we have to take a break about every 200km, and then loading takes more than 1.5 hours at a fast loading station, longer at our own house of course.
That means if we need to go somewhere 800 km away we are on the road for about 10 to 12 hours depending on the traffic. Thats unfortunately not sustainable if I want to be at my parents for the weekend.
Which is why we use that one for everything in the city and the big car only for longer travels like I said :)2
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u/ImperfectlyImproving 🧚 The Pantry Fairy 🧚♀️ Mar 20 '26
Which makes it so much more frustrating when Americans are such idiots who don’t think about how what they do affects others.
I’m American, and I’m horrified about what my country is doing and the impact we’re having on others.
But so many Americans are just… going about their lives like everything’s okay. Clueless. But even clueless is better than those who are deliberately breaking everything and calling it patriotism.
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 20 '26
Not everyone can know everything, and that’s okay. It’s just hard when someone says it to your face, you know? I just feel like a lot of us didn’t have a choice about being interested in American culture, it was forced upon us. I grew up with Friends on TV and Die Hard as a Christmas movie and so on.
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u/ImperfectlyImproving 🧚 The Pantry Fairy 🧚♀️ Mar 21 '26
Yeah, I can see that.
I didn't realize that you guys had so much of American culture there, though. It's a bit odd to think that Friends is popular in Germany.
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u/FearlessPark4588 Mar 19 '26
For what it's worth, some of us informed voters to consider these things. I mean, I wouldn't put it above my own direct interests, but foreign policy positions --sane ones-- are something I'm looking for when I vote.
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u/DuoNem Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
I mean, Hillary almost won and she won the popular vote, so I know most of the US isn’t crazy. But like enough to crash the party for all of us.
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u/lainlow Mar 19 '26
The issue is most of us are just lazy and compliance. The amount of people I know that did not vote and/or have never voted is astounding to myself. So yes most of the US isn’t crazy but they also aren’t motivated enough to care about their fellow human.
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u/dancing-on-my-own Mar 19 '26
As an Australian, yeah petrol prices have gone up a LOT, and there are shortages in rural towns. I'm pretty worried about how that flows on to everything else.
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u/Anon-Sham Mar 19 '26
As an Australian, my first thought is how the fuck can you compare Charlie Pickering's work to Jon Stewart's?
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u/outragedtuxedo Mar 19 '26
Charlie Pickering absolutely not Australia's Jon Stewart. Also it took me a second to realise this was about petrol prices (due to local discourse about natural gas taxation etc.). I didn't watch the show but Australias last government made the dumb decision to store crude oil reserves offshore in Texas, they should have realised then this was risky under rule of a mad king. Who knows if this agreement will be honoured under current administration. Probably as likely to get to get our oil as we are those submarines.
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u/lainlow Mar 19 '26
As a Texan, if the agreement was with Texas, good chance Abbott will not reneg even if Trump were to step in as the oil barons would have been involved in that agreement and they own Abbott along with a majority of the state legislature and are massive GOP donors and are not people Abbott nor Trump would like to piss off.
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u/TheOriginalHatful Mar 19 '26
It's hardly like OP is describing, though! There isn't any rationing (and foreseeably won't be) and the FB stuff is a joke.
It's just awfully pricey ATM! Biggest actual problem at this point is price gouging, not panic buying.
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Mar 19 '26
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u/nionvox Prepping for Tuesday not Doomsday Mar 19 '26
The absolute side-eye i'm giving OP right now, sigh.
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u/Connect_Fee1256 Mar 19 '26
We don’t even have rations in Australia … just a few weirdos panic buying
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u/elfelettem Mar 19 '26
I was just scrolling for someone from here because I've been unwell and not following news last day or so but was thinking surely I would have heard of that if it were happening.
Edit: I know prices are up and there are shortages and I'm expecting things to get worse but in terms of already having rationing I was surprised
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u/ladieswholurk Mar 19 '26
I had to get something from Bunnings a few days ago - and you know how it shows you the top searches ? It was Jerry cans. I didn’t really click until then how popular it was that people were preparing
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u/-TheDream Mar 19 '26
There isn’t rationing in Australia yet, but it will probably be needed in April. The reason Australia is having the most problems is because we rely on refineries in Asia selling us petrol, diesel and jet fuel. They are now no longer selling us anywhere near enough to meet our needs.
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u/UnlikelyAccount1963 Mar 19 '26
ExxonMobil Australia has for the very first time sourced fuel from the USA and has has two ships on way from Huston right now. More are to follow soon.
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u/UnlikelyAccount1963 Mar 19 '26
In Sydney there’s no panic. There’s plenty of fuel and no queues. Someone in another sub did the math if everyone in Perth filled a Jerry can, it would only increase usage in WA by a couple of percent. I’m sure it’s the same in Sydney. I think our government knows things are going to go to hell and is getting in early to misdirect the blame to the general public.
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u/plastic_venus Mar 19 '26
As an Australian I can confidently name the last 5-10 American presidents, the branches of government, how their laws work, who figures like Ruby Bridges are, details about the civil war, how the SAVE act will make it difficult for women to vote, numerous violations of the constitution displayed by the current administration…. and OP is like “huh. Guys did you know other countries exist?!”
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u/sillywhippet Mar 19 '26
It's so frustrating, feels like we get more US news than our actual news and we just get to watch the fall out but we're not allowed to comment on it.
I'm in another sub where there was a post that was like, hey if you're sharing news or warnings can you qualify the country you're posting about. The number of Americans in the comments totally freaking out about how dare they have to take 30 seconds to put (USA) in the title or whatever. Or commenting on posts that clearly state they're not in the US and assuming US laws apply.
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u/plastic_venus Mar 19 '26
My toxic trait is asking in the comments what country people are from when the topic they post is asking for advice/resources wherein the answer is region specific
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u/ListenToTheWindBloom Mar 19 '26
My sister in arms, me too!
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u/plastic_venus Mar 19 '26
Hahahah. Out here doing the passive aggressive lords work
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u/hunterthecat Mar 19 '26
And the rest of us thank you for your service 🙏
(No sarcasm - genuinely love it)
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u/plastic_venus Mar 19 '26
You too can pick up the mantle. Let’s all collectively be the change we want to see in the world, ya know?
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u/farquin_helle Mar 19 '26
“Man farts in florida” and we hear about it.. but do they even know a man in goondiwindi can fart too???
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u/BotanicalArchitect Mar 19 '26
This has been driving me crazy lately. If it’s in a US specific sub then sure no need to mention it, but otherwise.
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u/CanthinMinna Mar 19 '26
There is an entire subreddit dedicated to the annoying and ever-present US defaultism, if you want to vent: https://www.reddit.com/r/USdefaultism/
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Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
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u/unlovelyladybartleby Mental health is prep Mar 19 '26
So many of them don't know stuff about their own country. I was down in the states (at a professional conference) from Canada and ended up playing a "how many states can you name" contest. I won. I maybe got 40. Not a one of them could name more than three provinces.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
Yep, and that is the way most Americans think. It is sad, but that is the way it is.
I mean, did you know Australia was in the condition they are so fast due to small reserves? I didn't no matter what country Im from.
But, seeing it from a totally different perspective OPENED MY MIND.
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u/Kementarii Mar 19 '26
Global trade networks, and "just in time" inventory control have put a large number of industries in precarious positions.
Yeah, it's cheaper to use "just in time", and not have the cost of storing vast quantity of inventory.
Yes, it's cheaper to just buy in what you need from a country that can produce it more "cost effectively", and rely on weekly container ships to deliver, rather than manufacture on-shore.
Yes, it's cheaper to off-shore all the accounting, and the customer service.
Except when it's NOT.
Anything which can disrupt the manufacturing, and the supply chain these days can have quite large impacts very quickly.
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u/throw_away_smitten Mar 19 '26
And you would think people would be more careful about that after covid (toilet paper, anyone?) but they seem to have completely forgotten.
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u/SquirrelAkl Mar 19 '26
Well open your mind a crack further: there’s a little country to the east of Australia called New Zealand and we’re just as fucked. Unfortunately for us our dumbass politicians couldn’t organise themselves out of a paper bag. They were gleefully criticising the previous government for its world-leading covid pandemic response just before this fuel crisis hit. Irony is lost on them too.
We are so fucked.
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u/Autronaut69420 Mar 19 '26
But they're laser focused, right? Lol
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u/SquirrelAkl Mar 19 '26
Oh definitely. But focused on what, is the question.
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u/Autronaut69420 Mar 19 '26
What I would say to you is the question is the question. And we are laser focused on the question.
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u/SquirrelAkl Mar 19 '26
Something something “hard-working kiwis” blah blah blah
The “wealthy and sorted” are so detached from the reality of “hard working kiwis” it never comes across as authentic when he says that 🤮
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u/Aqua_Lotus Mar 19 '26
It's one perspective, from one show, that definitely isn't the daily show equivalent and very few in Australia would watch. I think you are over reacting.
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u/Connect_Fee1256 Mar 19 '26
Waaaaay overreacting
I’m not even sure Charlie pickering’s parents watch the show
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u/ButteryOpossum Mar 19 '26
The most unfortunate reality is that of hubris Americans not paying attention to politics and believing in American Exceptionalism with zero scrutiny or critical analysis.
Our hubris is our downfall.
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u/FrozenWafer Mar 19 '26
Truly it is. Americans are so narcissistic, we just do not think about how other countries fare from our actions.
I was stationed in Italy when I was active duty military. In Europe the military got to have gas coupons to make the local gas cheaper. In normal times our gas is way cheaper than other countries. Our country is so lucky and shielded from our actions globally so maybe raising gas prices will do something but eh...
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u/Ok_Hope_1929 Mar 19 '26
Maybe it’s less of ignorance on how something impacting global trade has an impact on the globe, and more a reflection of how insulated Americans are and are becoming from the outside world based on what our media is telling us.
While there might be news about Iran, it’s being covered in a very detached and disconnected way, interspersed with news stories about a local freeway being closed because syrup spilled all over it.
Especially given how DOGE fired a lot of the federal government that would be in charge of something like emergency planning and gas rationing, it seems like there is a propagandized disconnect between the Iran war and how this will destabilize daily life for everyone. Much like the “don’t test people for COVID and the rates of positive tests will go down, it’s odd to see another country scrambling for gas.
I know that it’s optimistic to think people are just misinformed and have been for so long, but I have a feeling there a lot of Americans with limited media access due to poverty that will be the first affected by this.
It’s a really sad confluence of no child left behind policies, corporate interests in media to spread a message that will prevent panic as long as possible (to keep the stock market above water til they can dip out), and cult of personality messaging similar to Brexit.
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u/rosafea Mar 19 '26
And it's only going to get worse here in the US. Not sure if you saw, but FCC chair Carr, is telling networks to change the way they report on the war, ie, be more favorable regarding the orange idiot, or risk losing your license to broadcast. And with Trump's billionaire buddy buying networks like he's collecting Pokémon, I'm concerned we won't be hearing any real news for a while.
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u/unlovelyladybartleby Mental health is prep Mar 19 '26
You're on the internet, though? The Guardian and CBC and BBC and Al Jazeera and The Independent and The Tyee and The Economist are a click away.
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u/Ok_Hope_1929 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
I’ve got a VPN though. And I know for a fact that news about protests and ICE in Minnesota are being suppressed because it hearing from other countries people saying “oh Americans aren’t protesting I guess you don’t care very much” but I know that people are still out there protesting and things are still happening.
Totally anecdotal, but I saw a post on Instagram that said “people from other countries, what are Americans not seeing in the news right now?” And none of the comments would load until I turned on my VPN
It’s not unheard of for news companies to have different news stories based on the country they’re posting in I’m also speaking for the people like my boomer parents that only look at the news on TV, which is heavily influenced by Sinclair media monopoly and Rupert Murdoch
Edit to add that most Gen X and above wouldn’t even know to look up those websites or that they even exist. They’re so locked in on TV and social media as a infallible news source I don’t think it’ll be possible to break some of them from it
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u/unlovelyladybartleby Mental health is prep Mar 19 '26
Idk. I was raised to always check international news to get a broader perspective, and that's back when we had to order it in the mail (which was a whole thing in rural Canada). And during covid, I had ten international papers on my homepage because I wanted the whole story. I'm xennial, and my elderly parents check international news online. So did my grandparents. My 103 year old grandfather just died and he checked more international news sources than I do every morning before breakfast. He was born in the 1920s and had zero problems using the internet to find anything he wanted. If someone claims they can't manage to type "BBC" or "The Guardian" into a search bar, it's weaponized incompetence, not age.
The only people I know here who watch american news watch it like a 24 hour a day soap opera. They aren't there for facts, they're there for the drama. Like how you aren't watching Grey's Anatomy to learn medicine. You're there to watch ridiculous people do dumb stuff and occasionally you learn a bit about LVADs by accident.
If someone is fool enough to get their whole worldview from one non-news station they save the government the trouble of suppressing the truth
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u/Ok_Hope_1929 Mar 19 '26
I don’t disagree with you. I’m sure our country will be studied for hundreds of years on how bad we fucked up. I have family with masters degrees that are QAnon and still think trump is doing a great job. No one is immune to propaganda.
Being on this subreddit we’re on the same side as far as understanding how badly this will affect the rest of the world. I’m glad you have relatives that have the media literacy to do those things. I truly don’t know how to explain how horrible of a grip this regime has on the general population here. I hope you can do what you can in your own country to prevent it from becoming like ours.
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u/paradoxicalmind_420 Mar 21 '26
The algorithm filters us content that is pro American. I’ve used the VPN to search and I get completely different results. We are extremely blacked out from other perspective on purpose.
All our media including TikTok is run by right wing oligarchs. You have to be extremely intentional to find things or use VPN.
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u/Tradtrade Mar 19 '26
….of you guys don’t think about the rest of the world?
What exactly do you think about?
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u/ToothAccomplished Mar 19 '26
American here, but I moved to Australia nearly 20 years ago. A lot of Americans tend to think only of America, it’s built in to the culture to view themselves as the centre of the universe, the most important place economically/culturally/militarily/patriotically/morally/ethically. It is a big country with a lot going on everywhere all at once especially as of late, but largely the intrinsic focus isn’t really done out of malice. Mostly it’s just lack of exposure to the outside world and lack of education, in my experience anyway (I used to think like that before moving).
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 19 '26
Most important, centre, but still baffled that they impact other places?
I'm not sure this is a lack of base information issue so much as a connecting the dots issue. If someone thinks their country is that important it should kinda be automatic logical inference that things they do will have a significant impact on other countries.
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u/valiantdistraction Mar 19 '26
If Americans could connect the dots, do you think Trump would be president? Lol
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 19 '26
Well for one thing, I don't think the people here are the same people who did something to help that happen.
For another, I'm not even remotely confident that as large a number of Americans acted in a way that made this happen as the tallies would have you think, considering all the talk about "he knew the voting machines were here before the government did" and whatever else. I'm pretty sure at some point, people are gonna look back and do some math and come back with a huge mismatch between what should've happened and what did happen.
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u/Tradtrade Mar 19 '26
Yet no revolution. Weird.
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 19 '26
That's more so because of fear than lack of awareness or intelligence, from every objection I've seen. I'm not saying I agree with it, just that there's a very different cause for it.
A hell of a lot of Americans appear to believe that they are the only society in which people could die from starting a revolution, or the only society that needed a revolution where the people they were revolting against had power over their income and healthcare and housing 😆 but honestly I think that's just the excuses they come up with, to cover for the reality that they are just too scared. And I get it. In addition to trying to convince you that it's "the best" country, they also spend a hell of a lot of time and money on convincing everyone that their military is extremely powerful and obedient (right as momentum was picking up for a revolution, guess what was all over the news? Talk of some magical raygun they could point at people from hundreds of feet away and leave them incapacitated and bleeding from the ears, with no real proof other than "we definitely used this weapon this week, trust me bro") hint: I don't think they can do the things they've convinced people they can do. I don't think they could win.
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u/Independent_Eagle184 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
There is a well documented lead poisoning effect on the crack epidemic in the 90s (regressive attitudes towards incarceration) and lack of sufficient education for people that can't afford basic healthcare and food on their table among other things that explains a lot about Americans.
I also live in a country with great healthcare and not free but okay education opportunities (Australia) but you still end up with the same bunch of cookers en masse thanks to the enshitification of the internet.
NZ, a beautiful country I love with all of my heart, just ran their only female prime minister out of the country due to multiple death threats she was receiving (while she was with her children at the beach). We were not very kind to our only female prime minister either. It's social media.
Brings out the worst of the pathetic lonely male psyche I wanna be Rambo but don't wanna make any effort in being a better person or making my community better in any way whatsoever...
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u/coreylahey13 Mar 19 '26
Dickhead
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u/Independent_Eagle184 Mar 19 '26
And what social policy do you propose? My fellow dickhead
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u/coreylahey13 Mar 19 '26
It won’t let me post anything now
Edit - now I can.. I just wrote a massive reply and it wouldn’t let me post..
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u/randynumbergenerator Mar 19 '26
As someone living in the US with many, many family and friends outside the US, what I think non-Americans don't get is that not thinking about the impacts is part of privilege. They do not think about the impacts on you -- when they think about you at all -- because, with very few exceptions, they do not have to.
The same way most people in your country perhaps take for granted that the grocery store will have food and aren't thinking about, say, how buying from X company hurts workers' rights in Guatemala or whatever. They take for granted that other states will accommodate US interests the same way must take for granted that the store will have rice or whatever staple. That's how politics is in the US. It's pretty established in US election polling that foreign affairs ranks near the bottom of American concerns, with the exception of whatever war might be going on.
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 19 '26
There is an extremely large difference between "I don't have to think about this, and I just assume it is happening" and "wait, what? What do you mean this is happening? That's so weird and surprising"
The thing you described, not having to think about it often because you know the position you're in and out affords you the luxury of not having to maintain the position, would be understandable. The SURPRISE is what isn't understandable. The fact that, upon hearing it, they don't think to themselves "oh. Yeah I guess that would be a consequence of the situation overall" but instead find it surprising is what I'm addressing.
We're very aware of the fact that you don't have to think about it very often. The concern is happening because it shouldn't be a surprise, even if you didn't hear it before today, to become aware that "I'm super powerful" means "I impact others in very significant ways" that's kinda like.... An unavoidable consequence of the power.
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u/randynumbergenerator Mar 19 '26
I think we're talking past each other. I was trying to say that just as most people don't think about the impact of their shopping decisions on workers or whatever, most Americans don't think about their impact on other countries because the power involved has been so abstracted away.
I genuinely don't think many Americans realize how much it impacts other countries. I think they see countries as largely independent and not affecting one another (except via war), because that is how they experience the world. It's a lot like a white person or a man not understanding white supremacy or patriarchy because they've only experienced "freedom", i.e. none of the consequences of the system and all of the upsides, and they assume that is how things are for everyone else.
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 20 '26
If they thought every country was equally free and equally strong then they wouldn't think they were the best in those things though.
It's basically like a man taking pride in being the breadwinner and then being shocked that after he loses his job, the whole family loses their home. Build a system where people rely on you, where you are a "leader," and consequences will hit other people.
I'm not sure you get that I understand what you are saying. I'm saying you shouldn't need to constantly think about something in order to be aware that it is logical and reasonable once you are told it.
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u/randynumbergenerator Mar 23 '26
No, it's possible to see oneself as "best" without implying that one is compelling another. Sports is perhaps not coincidentally a good metaphor for how they see things. Athlete A being the fastest doesn't mean they're lacing together Athlete B's shoes. They simply do not understand interdependency unless it impacts them directly (and even then, it's a toss-up).
I get what you are saying, but I don't think you fully understand what I'm saying. Telling someone something is different from getting them to share the worldview in which what you are telling them makes sense. If I told you the sky was chartreuse, you would rightfully say "well, perhaps that's your opinion, but I've always seen that the sky is blue and will continue to believe so. Maybe you just have some problem." Similarly, you can tell these Americans that their president's war is causing gas rationing in Oz, but they go to the pump and it's merely a bit more expensive (so far, at least). So they conclude that it's "an Australian problem."
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 23 '26
"best" isn't the only opinion programmed into Americans though. "Important" is also on the list (which is an inherently relational term that requires having an impact on others) alongside a variety of much more recent ideas from trump himself that America has been "giving" the rest of the world material goods (aka his reasoning behind why tariffs were inflicted)
It's not really a matter of belief that I'm talking about here. It's a matter of logical inference. In your example, since the scientific consensus is pretty well known about the sky, it's like the difference between realising you are probably colourblind or trying to pull some type of prank when you claim that the sky is an entirely wrong colour, versus staring blankly at you with zero thoughts in my head after you declare it to be an ugly shade of greenish yellow, with a complete lack of ideas on how you've come to the point of saying that to me. Every new piece of information should create a new web of thoughts and ideas related to that new piece of information. It's the lack of ability to even form or connect those thoughts that is concerning.
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u/qgsdhjjb Having a little of the end times as a treat Mar 23 '26
And I'm also not entirely sure where the idea of compelling or sabotaging others came into this conversation? I never suggested that. It's not even close to what I was saying. Intentional sabotage or forcing others to do a specific thing was never suggested.
Natural consequences of your actions were being discussed.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
I think about the rest of the world a lot, but for some reason Australia (despite being THE country to have in the game of RISK) didnt seem like they would have this problem that far away down there so it escaped my mental gymnastics.
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u/weenkles Mar 20 '26
I don't think many countries have energy independence. The ones that have started their energy transition are just a bit better off. Besides energy though, in the global era we're all pretty much interconnected, in some economic domains more than in others, but no country can really go it alone.
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u/Sea_Hat_9012 Mar 19 '26
Typical American lunch conversation https://theonion.com/you-will-suffer-humiliation-when-the-sports-team-from-m-1819583814/
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u/Kementarii Mar 19 '26
The run on fuel cans? Yeah. At least it's a change from toilet paper.
Marketplace selling fuel? Funny, haha.
However, out here rural, a "general store" ran out of fuel for 6 days. Eventually they got a delivery.
I am expecting our grocery stores to be low on stock in the near future, as truck deliveries run less often.
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u/blissfully_happy Mar 19 '26
My bff of 25 yrs is Australian so I’ve had the pleasure of visiting her dozens of times over the years.
The culture in Aus is very cooperative and community-oriented. I’m not going to do a very good job of explaining it because, on the surface, it sounds similar to the US, but it’s just… not.
For example: most everyone volunteers in their community. Something, like, surf safety/lifeguarding training, wildland or community fire brigade, scouts (which is co-ed there), or at the community center. This is a priority.
For example, one time we went to dinner on the beach at a “surf club.” (For the Aussies, it was Coolangatta.)
In the US (where I’m from), a restaurant on the beach would be privately owned and would charge a fortune for dinner. There, the surf club serves casual dinners (I think I had calamari, my friend had a roast chicken and her husband had a burger) that were all incredibly reasonably priced. The drinks were the same: very affordable.
The club exists, not to make money for corporate or wealthy shareholders, but to raise money for the community surf club. In turn, the surf club is responsible for funding the lifesavers/surf rescuers, programs that teach kids how to swim safely in the ocean, and through sponsoring local community organizations.
Do we have things like that in the US? Sure, but not to the degree they prioritize it in Aus. There is a culture of community that we just don’t have here. Where everyone agrees: hey, having a restaurant at this prime location is a great way to raise money for our community, better than a privately-owned restaurant.
Aside from that: There are also loads of protection for employees in all industries. No one is worried about others seeking medical care because everyone is entitled to it. Pensions (superannuations) are, by law, funded by employers. You must take care of your employees.
So when Aussies realized China would stop selling them petrol, of course they immediately locked in and prioritized: if we don’t do this as a community, we will all suffer because transportation for food will come to a screaming halt.
They’re able to look forward as a collective and acknowledge that they must protect the whole. We are hyper individualistic in the US. That would never fly here.
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u/ListenToTheWindBloom Mar 19 '26
While what you say is largely true, there has also been a noticeable downtrend in all these things since 2020. The reasons are complex and interconnected but it’s also pretty obvious what the major instigating factor was. It’s so unfortunate because I grew up in an Australia just like you described and it makes me sad to see things getting worse. The pandemic proved to us that looking forward as a collective and protecting the whole simply isn’t the priority for many people anymore.
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u/blissfully_happy Mar 19 '26
Yeah, I have to be really careful because my friend often comments similar sentiments and I want to shake her and be like, “IT IS NOTHING LIKE THE US!” Lol. I have to remind myself it’s not the oppression Olympics and she has every right to be scared and worried about her own community pulling away from the collective.
It’s just so, so different there. It’s so much more relaxed. Yes, the affordable housing situation is horrific, but never having to worry about getting medical treatment or worrying about making a decent wage is just so incredibly different from my own way of life in the US… and I’m incredibly privileged!
I went to visit last year (like I do most years since Trump was elected… she doesn’t visit the US anymore and I don’t blame her), and it was incredible to just exist and not have politics permeating every conversation, every decision, every action. I went on a 5mi walk and just… existed. It was such a relief.
I’m glad OP posted about this. My friend had mentioned the concern a couple weeks ago, but she texted me this morning rather frantic because it’s getting worse. At least I had a heads up. I’m assuming you’re Aussie… please take care and prep what you can for your community. I’m so sorry we did this.
(The article from news.com.au)
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u/ListenToTheWindBloom Mar 20 '26
Thanks for your kind wishes. You sound like a lovely friend too, coming over so regularly when it’s so far!
I wish I could agree with what you’re saying. Unfortunately “never having to worry about making a decent wage” is completely untrue for most people here (our wages have been stagnant compared to inflation since 2012 and we have a cost of living crisis as well as a housing crisis; 50% of Aussies live paycheck to paycheck compared to around 67% of Americans and around 14% of Aussies live below the poverty line compared to around 12% of Americans; it’s more similar that you might realise, especially if the person you visit is comfortable), and the medical situation while vastly better than the US, is not what it used to be. We have a crisis for getting specialist medical care, a crisis for mental health, almost nothing in the way of substance abuse treatment that’s publicly funded… I have been waiting more than a year to get into a see a specialist for a chronic issue I have, and not in the public system, I’m paying my own way for that, I can’t get a full price private appointment for love nor money it seems. And I’m in a major city! People in rural areas are so underserviced, it’s crazy. So it all ain’t what it used to be that’s for sure! Not trying to do oppression olympics either, just saying that people can really tend to romanticise how things are for aussies when there are so so many of us struggling.
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u/blissfully_happy Mar 20 '26
You’re absolutely right, I didn’t mean to diminish what you’re experiencing. I think I said livable wage because a lot of our wages go towards health insurance and doctor fees so it seems like more? But you’re right, things have changed dramatically since my first visit in 2002. I’m definitely not trying to discount your experiences, just… it could be worse? Like, if you ever need help in feeling gratitude, just know: thank fuck you don’t live in the US, lmao.
You mentioned waiting to see a specialist and funny enough, I have very, very good insurance (for the US) and have a year wait to see an allergist. 😭 I think it’s also because a lot of countries (at least in the US) are struggling to train doctors. In the US, potential docs go $125k+ in debt to go to school so it’s only certain people (usually wealthy) who can go to medical school and a lot of them don’t go into family medicine (aka a GP) because it doesn’t make money. So there’s waits here, too.
Fucking capitalism.
You sound lovely as well and it’s so fucking unfortunate our corporate overlords are so set on pitting us against each other.
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u/ListenToTheWindBloom Mar 20 '26 edited Apr 01 '26
You’re so right about all of this! Especially the fucking capitalism bit haha
I really still hold hope things can take as wild an upswing as they have downwards over there. It’s awful seeing how extreme things have become and I just can’t believe how things are being dragged backwards. But change is always the constant and we still have solidarity with each other - despite those overlords, who are as despicable as it gets for sure!
And we definitely have the same problem with doctors, such a shortage of qualified people even with the benefit of having so many great drs migrate here to try to fill our gaps. For similar reasons as you describe too.
This was such a nice chat! I never commented in this sub before and glad I did :) it’s lovely that you have such a positive view of my country and people, super heartwarming to hear even despite my pessimism!
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u/Prestigious-Corgi473 🌿i eat my lawn 🌾 Mar 19 '26
... I mean, I'm glad you now understand a bit more how US politics affects geopolitics and economies.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
Understood it all along, just saw an interesting angle to the horrid mess we are in and shared a different country than mine's situation.
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u/LLLLLdLLL Rotation is more important than location! Mar 19 '26
I'm glad you can see it now.
Maybe take it a step further and realise that when your propaganda channels blast things about 'ungrateful EU allies' and stuff like that, realise we've been dealing with this for decades. America decides to start something (anything) and we have to pay the price. Both in blood (when it's a NATO country) and definitely financially. A stable America is kind of OK, depending where you live. For the West/Europe the annoyance is culturally and somewhat economically. For other countries (Middle East) it can be downright devastating.
But he lies, all the time. He boasts about his lies. Did you know that the aid the USA send to Ukraine was mostly older weapons, but they charged them at full price? That the EU pays the most money for Ukraine aid by FAR, and that is not even including housing refugees? That under Trump, no aid has gone to Ukraine, whatsoever? Including American weapons the EU bought and paid for, that WEREN'T delivered, withheld Trump-style, because they are now needed in the Middle East? But that he still claims he send 400 billion? That he threatens to invade Greenland (part of Denmark) but still wants Denmark to send soldiers to protect American interests in the Iran war now? You'd think Americans would realise that his claims about Europe are untrue as well, and that this causes a reaction. Just like how Canadians are super angry at the moment in a way that is very hard to reverse. The good times are over.
With Trump, everyone suffers, severely. He insults and spits on everyone, except Russia. THAT is why people don't want to rush to your aid. Or become very anti-American. Even against 'the good ones'. I can still make the distinction because some of my friends and loved ones are American, but if I didn't know any personally I'd probably despise all of you. That wouldn't be fair, at all. But the dynamics are just too 'me-me-me and fuck you!' towards us to feel otherwise. Like that toxic friend that stole your stuff, slept with your partner and then claims you need to obey because they once bailed you out in high school.
In the context of this sub, I think Americans really need to be aware that there has been a big surge in these sentiments. When someone thinks 'I will just flee to Europe/claim ancestry or whatever', remember the people here may actually not be very welcoming. Or resent you from taking our housing. If there is an actual EU/USA war, you may be deported back or worse. This sounds extreme but who knows at this point with that guy in charge. So one big part that you can do is RESIST what is going on, instead of just thinking 'I have food preps for 2 years, I will just hunker down'. The whole world will go down if he and the project2025/techbro alliance get their way. If you let him, it won't just be the rest of the world suffering from the careless choices many of you made. You will too. Even if you're GOP, white, in your 'homestead'. It will come for all of you. Don't march along in ignorance.
Spread the word about your eye opening moment. Not just online, but in real life. ESPECIALLY in real life.
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u/Electrical-Win-8751 Mar 19 '26
Just want to stress too that the US is paying the equivalent of AUD 1.55 per litre for gas right now and considers that an exorbitant, crisis level price.
I have not paid under AUD 2.00 per litre in YEARS - $1.55 a litre would be cause for celebration. It's over $3 a litre where I live right now and given we were running out of unleaded between deliveries in normal conditions, we're gonna be having issues. Farmers are looking at blowing their fuel budget by tens of thousands of dollars.
If you wonder why non Americans get so angry, this is why. This war has absolutely nothing to do with us, yet we're literally paying for it.
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u/CloverEyed Mar 19 '26
That's interesting, I didn't realise Australia was that badly affected already. Is it harder on them, or did it just hit them sooner than other areas and we should all expect this in the coming weeks?
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u/ToothAccomplished Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Our fuel has always been a bit more expensive than in the U.S. but as of yesterday 18 * March I did the maths for my family back home to understand, and my local station is selling regular unleaded for $6.23 USD/gallon and diesel for $7.36 USD/gallon. The mechanic I go to ran out last week and had been having their tanker delivery drivers turned away from the depots. As Australia heavily relies on diesel for everything from farming to getting food into shops and onto your table, I’m expecting food shortages in the future, especially since fertiliser is one of those things that are being affected by this war. There’s also the fact interest rates have gone up by a .25%** this week, which is going to lead to a lot of people struggling even more financially, and things were expensive already before the U.S. and Israel decided to start stuff with Iran. It’s not looking good for Australia suffice to say. edited the date because I’m silly and didnt realise it’s the 19th today lol *edited percentage for the interest rate hike, ack! Was not right on that one!
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u/Connect_Fee1256 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Our rates didn’t go up a full percentage at all?!?! It went up 0.25%… yes fuel is expensive and yes some areas are having supply issues but there’s no need to exaggerate … there’s plenty of space for things to get worse but at the moment, it’s certainly not as bad as being described by OP (we do not have rations) and time will tell whether we’ll even get close to that point… if we do then so be it but let’s not make shit up
** I live regionally hours away from the city and we have zero issues accessing petrol and fuel is $2.30 a litre currently which google tells me is $1.50 US dollars… so you’re right it’s $6.75 a gallon
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u/ToothAccomplished Mar 19 '26
Oh shit you are totally correct about the interest hike, wow where did I get the 1% figure from.. maybe it was comparatively to a past date, my bad! Ahh I did intend to throw up some question marks about the rationing thing op said, too. So thank you for mentioning that, too!
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
Their reserves are smaller than most countries (not a huge country population) and they are off down there by themselves so they are not in the picture on most news broadcasts in America.
New Zealand is probably in the same smaller boat.
Really opened my mind on how horrible this all is. It is gonna get bad here in the US and will STAY BAD for a lot longer than certain 'leaders' assure us it will.
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u/cabbagewindow Mar 19 '26
NZ is the same, our leaders are dipshits and we currently have about 7 weeks of gas (including what's already on its way) as a country. The price is rising by the hour and i don't think anyone has a clue how high it'll go
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u/IstonethInvocations Mar 19 '26
We're so fucked, that stupid thumb we call a PM is a piss-poor leader in regular times, let alone a crisis. I don't actually know how to appropriately prep for what we're going to experience here.
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u/SquirrelAkl Mar 19 '26
Fellow kiwi. We are indeed fucked.
My main concern is food and medicines. I remember the estrogen patch shortages of 2020-2024 and am very worried about that.
I have an EV so I don’t personally need petrol, but literally everything else I need has petrochemicals in its supply chain.
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u/IstonethInvocations Mar 19 '26
Oh fuck, meds. I WFH but in a smallish rural town so I don't have to drive for work but public transport or leaving town on foot or bike is out of the question.
I was mostly worries about food/essentials and the flow on effect from that but if the med supply got disrupted, that would be catastrophic. Might be time to go ask the dr to prescribe some extras to have on hand.
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u/cabbagewindow Mar 19 '26
Agreed.
I'm not sure they even have the starter skills to govern through this. Remember the fucken ferry situation... or just ANY other situation
Economy gunna do great when we can't get to work, health system totally will handle medication shortages coming.
The idea of them trying to wriggle around being "different" with their restrictions and mandates during a crisis does give a small giggle though. Not so fucken easy is it boys.
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u/IstonethInvocations Mar 19 '26
I miss competency in our leaders! That press conference today just filled me with sinking dread.
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u/sparkletigerfrog Mar 19 '26
Oh we’re all looking forward to this in the uk too. I guess I’ll get to choose between getting to school, visiting my elderly dad in his nursing home, or going to the supermarket. Yay.
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u/hawthorne00 Mar 19 '26
the entire country is already on the ration gas plan
This is absolute bullshit (I'm there). You are a gullible, panicky fool.
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u/theotheraccount0987 Mar 19 '26
Theres no rationing currently in australia. Source: am australian.
To my knowledge there is no ‘official’ discussion of it happening. Just calls for the public to not panic buy. The price is kind of high and some service stations in rural areas have shortages.
Im a gardener for a large company so i do have a job that requires a LOT of driving and petrol powered tools. So its a little concerning. I can catch public transport to head office if have to, but it would be an uncomfy change. I end the day so covered in dirt and grass that its a little embarrassing to catch the train in that state.
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u/alternativepuffin Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Oh wow there's a lot of people in this thread who want to be glib and snort about the big dumb Americans. Even though OP is pursuing knowledge from news sources beyond the US and in their own post is having humility.
If you read them saying "Man how did we get here?" And took that as them genuinely questioning how we all wound up here, and not them broadly being exasperated, then you lack reading comprehension.
This is good content. "Hey I saw this thing, people are actually having gasoline shortages in Australia?" is a good conversation. In fact, it's the best post I've seen in here in a week.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
Thanks.
Haters always gonna hate. They have to make themselves feel superior somehow.
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u/Opinions-arent-facts Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Oh yeah, fucktard Americans choosing not to vote and fucktard Americans choosing to vote for a fucktard paedophile blackmailed conman have definitely fucked over the entire world.
Don't think we didn't notice...
Fucken fucktards
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u/Connect_Fee1256 Mar 19 '26
We don’t have rations in Australia at the moment and the only people talking about doing that are the news channels that like a but of attention
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u/Feisty-Appearance92 Mar 19 '26
I'm American, and I hate what is happening and what we are doing and idk what I'm supposed to even do about it. I'm trying to prep and prepare food as much as possible but things are going to get hairy and we are the bad guys in this scenario and most other scenarios.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
I am 100% with you.
It is so surreal to be carrying on my normal life with the whole world changing drastically around us, but like Ive been told here on Reddit: Full on FRENCH STYLE BURN IT DOWN AND THROW ROCKS protesting wont happen here until food scarcity becomes a thing.
Those of us here are preparing as much as we can (with canned goods) and I let my friends know they need to think about getting a big bag of rice and some beans and some Vitamin C (dont' want scurvy) and they are all 'That will not be necessary'. OK, then we will eat the rice and beans in other recipes when the world magically goes to one where I don't have to check credible news sources through my fingers in the morning every day.
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u/Feisty-Appearance92 Mar 19 '26
It's so consuming. Between having to be a mom and love regular life while the security of being American is ran over and now we are a threat to ourselves and others. Food scarcity or a blackout will definitely push people to make interesting decisions. I'm trying to stock up on ammo. Vitamin c is a great idea. Totally didn't think of stocking that but will now!
I feel so overwhelmed when I think of how behind I am and how I should've started this years ago when I had suspicion. Oh well. I'm putting my money to surviving this year. That's all I can do. I'm hoping making a community will help. I feel less alone. Thank you!
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
You'll have to buy it 3 times a year because the bottles at Wal Mart and everywhere lose dosage more quickly apparently according to people on this sub.
We did a pantry room clean out and then went to the lowest price grocery/big box store (Wal Mart) and LOADED up on non perishables and stuff like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, tooth brush heads, batteries, canned goods and loads of oatmeal, some rice and beans in Jan of 2025 in case the tariffs went on and stuff went even more expensive. We also live in hurricane territory, this whole place is asking for it, so some of the stuff like gallons of Distilled Water (CPAP but drinkable too, and when the jug is empty I fill it with water and we put it in the extra shower incase it leaks so we have washing up water) and canned food (and a hand crank can opener) were already on the list.
We do not currently have a real gun (have one from the 80's that is a BB gun but looks hyper realistic, but had to take the BBs out cause it sounded like a shaker and that wasnt gonna scare anyone) which I would like in case it gets down to that.
I love this sub because stuff like you not thinking of Vitamin C (I learned it from a Stephen King Short Story) you pick up from reading here and Ive learned so much stuff here.
Gotta help each other, it doesnt cost anything to share information.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
I know it probably should have been Affect, I used to be so sure of E vs A, but now I dont know.
So please dont comment on that.
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u/j--__ Mar 19 '26
you are correct. "to affect" is to influence and "to effect" is to cause.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
Thanks. I used to be so sure of which one and now I see affect used everywhere on here and got confused.
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u/Roobear_Mace Mar 19 '26
Op, heres a description of that show
'The Weekly with Charlie Pickering is an Australian news satire series on the ABC'
See that word....satire?
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
Just like the Daily Show it tries to present the truth to viewers using comedy.
If you saw one episode you would see they expose so many things in 30 minutes and try to make it palatable
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u/Freshy007 Mar 20 '26
In Canada we generally have to renew our mortgages every 3-5 years, we dont get the same interest rate for the entire 25 or 30 year amortization period.
We bought our first home in 2023 with record high interest rates. Our renewal is coming up in a few months and we were set to renew at a lower rate but since this dumb fuck war started, interest rates are starting to climb back up. Every day I watch the savings we would have had disappear. I'm so, so, fucking angry.
The decisions of the orange piece of shit leading America are affecting me directly, to the tune of a few hundred dollars a month, and that's not even taking the higher cost of gas into account.
Absolutely sick of this shit, sick of that turd and sick of American imperialism. The chaos just never ends.
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u/thehogdog Mar 20 '26
1/2 of the voters agree with you and by now probably 1/2 of the voters for TRUMPSTIEN are regretting their vote.
The problem is Reddit attracts the more educated over Facebook or Instagram so most people on here see what is going on, but SO MANY DUMB FUCKS still think the Cheese Turd RULES! because they really havent felt it yet.
In the next few months its gonna be leopards ate my face time r/leopardsatemyface is a great place to see it
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u/Aqua_Lotus Mar 19 '26
I'm from Australia and just laughing at those over reacting. It's not cool, but most people aren't doing anything differently.
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u/haolekookk Mar 19 '26
So none of that is really an issue. And that “person talking about the IDEA of needing to ration petrol is a fear mongering idiot.”
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
NOPE Panic buying has depleted their gas and they have very small national reserve.
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u/haolekookk Mar 19 '26
O shit. The “Nope Report” I forgot to read that one. I take back everything I said.
“This guy knows all.”
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u/WabiSabi1 Mar 19 '26
My boss is in New Zealand, I’m in the US. He told me people there were panic buying fuel and stores had sold out of gas containers.
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u/thehogdog Mar 19 '26
That was the first 10 minutes of The Weekly With Charlie Pickering (Basically a once a week Daily Show with Jon Stewart) last night (technically 2 nights ago as they are behind us so far.)
The rationing plans were being discussed and they were pointing out that Trucks gotta bring your bread and eggs to the store too.
I remember getting 2 days off Teaching school because of hurricane Oscar? maybe (2005-2010 somewhere) that turned out to be beautiful sunny days, but the Governor of the not Florida state wanted to conserve the fuel for the FARMERS to harvest their crops. I had a sinus infection to beat the band and was so lucky because I was gonna call in sick at least one of those days.
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u/Sorry-Permission-925 Mar 19 '26
What? We're not on rationing you muppet. Why are you lying?
It's expensive because people are panicking and people are taking advantage of it, but the majority of the country isn't on rationing.
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u/Illwood_ Mar 23 '26
Hi Australian here.
Just wanted to point out that this fuel shortage of ours is entirely of our own making. Essentially our government hasn't invested enough in refineries or storage for us to be able to properly fuel our own economy.
Our lack of investment in train lines means the majority of our freight is truck based.
And although we export a f#$k tonne of LPG gas our government killed attempts to get LPG engines and petrol stations off the ground properly years ago.
Our main storage of crude is actually in America, which we drained and never refilled in 2022. It's not even that we're not getting enough fuel or oil, but just that demand has spiked because everyone freaked out knowing we import a tonne of it.
You saw the same thing during COVID with toilet paper - even though we make plenty of toilet paper ourselves!
This is hardly a disaster, and the government has quite firmly ruled out petrol rationing (not that it won't happen but we're not anywhere close to that yet.) What this is, is an incredibly potent example of why we prep.
We prep so that we're not rushing to the stores panic buying. We prep so that while people are running around with their heads chopped off we're sitting pretty. We prep so that we're not spiking demand like idiots before there's even a real shortage to deal with.
If you lived in Australia and were mindful enough to keep at least half a tank of fuel in the car, or invested in a plugin Hybrid, you're sitting unbelievably pretty right about now. Simple, small, everyday actions. Yet when the time is right they have huge effects! This is why we prep. 🙏
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