this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2024
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That's so very sad, especially because Shell just does it for fun. If, at the very least, there would be some kind of product we could reduce demand for to stop Shell from being so bad. But alas, we can only blame them and never challange our own behaviour - since you know, no one single person ever made any difference at all.
But corporation bad no?^/s
I mean — despite our own collective apathy, and want for oil-based products — the answer is still unironically yes
Maybe we could stop them from lobbying so hard against alternatives to try and kill the development or adoption of them? Maybe we could stop them from bribing lawmakers to support subsidies for themselves while denying subsidies for alternatives?
Or wait, here's a good one, maybe we could stop them from spending billions of dollars on ad campaigns and BS propaganda that downplays their contribution while pushing a message that the real problem is all those awful individuals like us who are really the ones who should be sacrificing rather than the poor, misunderstood, multi-billion dollar international conglomerates?
Great, instead of Shell, just buy BP, or Exxon.. Oh wait.. they're up to exactly the same shit, and are all together deliberately holding us captive and keeping any realistic alternative from being accessible to the masses because they know it will replace them..
First remove head from ass, then form opinion..
Great suggestion, I can help you pull! After your head is free, maybe consider life style changes like, you know, using your legs instead of a car. Or a bike. I'm not saying that everyone can do that and certainly not on every trip, but I'm definitely saying that a lot of people drive their cars around without needing to. Not to mention the amount of people driving around in cars that are way too large and way too heavy.
Oh, but wait, those are obviously unrealistic alternatives and even if they weren't, Shell executives would come over personally and break your legs. How could I forget - silly me.
Like, you know, some people fucking can't. I'm literally housebound, have never owned a car, and haven't been on a flight in about 2 decades, I guarantee you consume significantly more oil than I ever could. You really did pick the wrong fucker to make your ableist and exclusionary assumptions about (E: though I LOVE the projection - you assumed I'm against shifting responsibility to individuals because I don't want to change my habits, when in reality it's you who are unwilling to change yours, your habit being punching down instead of up because those at the top told you to).
And you know what, if you disappeared tomorrow and didn't even use any of that oil - that still wouldn't solve a fucking thing (in terms of oil production that is, otherwise if that happened it'd definitely be a more pleasant world lmfao).
Because individual use isn't the fucking problem and would be resolved if the oil companies weren't keeping society hostage for profit. Individual solutions CANNOT solve systemic problems
But sure, whatever helps you continue to blame the little person you can feel superior to, rather than face any real threat to your ego - pointing the finger at those actually at fault (which you feel inferior to because deep down you actually look up to the ~~scumbag~~ owning class), and trying to act against the cause of the problem, not its symptoms.
So I'll make the same suggestion again - first remove head from ass, then form opinion - yours is wrong, and will continue to be no matter how many times you repeat the same propaganda to yourself and others, you pushing it exclusively serves those you claim you want to stop (and your own little ego, of course), the fact is - you are choosing to be an active shill for those exploiting humanity and the planet, but hey, isn't it so much easier blaming other powerless people and convincing yourself you're this brave souled warrior than it is to face reality.. Smmfh.. Self cantered, wilfully ignorant, ableist clown.
TL;DR: the oil companies have spent billions if not trillions on developing a button especially for people like you to press to make you feel like you've acted and give you the warm fuzzies, when in reality all pressing the button does is make them more money, a fact you can easily confirm for yourself, but you don't because that empty dopamine hit and pretence of acting that the oil companies have provided you with just feel too good.
And i quote myself: "I’m not saying that everyone can do that and certainly not on every trip, [..]".
First you judge me for making assumptions and projections, then you make assumptions about me. I work from home. I don't have a drivers license and neither does my girlfriend. I don't go on vacations, I rather stay at home. I've only ever boarded a plane three times, all of them work related. I don't even order stuff online, expect for my girlfriend. And just for good measure, I'm vegan too! For the most part, I could only reduce my CO2 further by dying.
But enough of the dick measuring contest. I don't care for you personally, we're talking about the average person here. It just was funny to address you personally to throw back your needlessly added "head in your ass" insult.
Personal insult, that's always the sign of someone being right! Like, your post is littered with that stuff. Maybe take a few deep breaths or something.
You keep on blaming the companies here and I mean, that's not wrong. They are destroying the world with no regard for anything but wealth. But let me introduce to a concept so advanced, it's taught in 5th grade or something: Supply and demand. Shell destroys the environment to by extracting and selling oil. If no one buys oil, they stop. It's not profitable anymore. "But nuh-uh" I hear you say, "other companies use more oil than we do!". And I'm sure they do it for funsies too! It's not like, e.g. logistic companies use that shit to deliver stuff to you or anything. Once again, something we could reduce by ordering less as a whole. There is not a single company that could keep on doing their thing if its customer base would crumble away. "But it's impossible to be perfect" and therefore not worth trying, eh? Just keep on shaking your fist at clouds, old man.
If the demand for ecological solutions would grow, companies would become more ecological simply because that's where the money is. Companies and even whole industries that used to be big die all the time, often supplemented by some "Millennials killed X!" articles. They are not some form of omnipotent force, if enough individuals decide against supporting them, they die. It's just that not enough people care and you actively tell them to not care. Even if you're right and individual actions do mostly nothing, once enough individuals actively try to fix the problem some are bound to be CEOs, shareholders, politicians and lobbyists. We just need to hit critical mass for people that care.
it's not a personal insult, it's a thought experiment.
besides being grossly condescending, your understanding of this price discovery theory is, itself, elementary.