Alcoholism, Oil, Emails, and Denial.

In order to protect and defend their drinking most real alcoholics will go to great lengths to rationalize the gravity of their situation. There is a list in the book Alcoholics Anonymous (know as the "big book" to members of A.A.) that illustrates this denial nicely:

"Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception...they will prove themselves the exceptions...some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home...taking a trip, not taking a trip..."

The same sort of list holds true for Americans and the oil situation. The real problem (a situation that is not curable but treatable - though the longer one waits the more painful the treatment ) is difficult for the ego to handle. But the reality of high gasoline prices makes complete denial that something is wrong impossible. This oil dependency denial mechanism is ramping up again in America. A short list of signs:

1. An email will make the rounds. The email blames Big Oil and either A. insists we buy gas only on certain days or only buy from certain companies. This, it is believed, with force prices down. The one I received Monday stated that gas would cost $1.35 a gallon if we all did this - an extraordinary delusion.

2. We will hear a lot of chatter about the "switch over" from winter to summer grades of gasoline, and the "driving season". This chatter usually happens in May. In started in February this year. Global warming, maybe?

3. Lack of refining capacity will be blamed for high prices. This excuse usually comes from the Right, as it blames over regulation and environmental laws. If only it wasn't so difficult for big oil, they would refine more etc. etc. But, as we know, oil companies rarely do not get what they want from politicians. If they wanted more refineries, they could get them. Katrina was a real problem. However, if anything it showed just how tight the supply/demand ratio is in America

4. Congress will take symbolic action to deflect any anger. By Wednesday Senator Schumer had made the requisite "demand" that Big Oil's profits be investigated. President Oil expressed his "concern" as well.

We have not gotten past #4 yet. Usually gas prices come down just enough at this stage to call off the griping. But high prices will not go down substantially ever again.

These "taking a trip, not taking a trip" rationalizations do not address the root of the problem. At all. The problem we have now is that supply has met demand. There is also a strong belief in many learned corners that we have used half the world's supply of oil. The implications of this, given how the world economy is run now, range from startling to grim. Like the drunk who is charged with looking at his "inner most self" as a prerequisite to change - we are one the verge of having to confront all our basic presumptions about how we live. Will we "sober up" with grace or resentment? I wonder.

* Profits are huge for oil companies and they could pass some along to us, invest in refineries, exploration, more drilling. For the most past they are not. Why? Do Oil companies know the supply problem is real and permanent?