cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/44153801
Denmark’s energy minister called on citizens to reduce their energy use amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Oil prices jumped to over $100 a barrel on Thursday, raising fears of rising inflation.
“If it is not strictly necessary to drive the car, then don’t do it,” the minister stressed to Danish citizens.
Confused. Is Denmark footing the bill for their citizens’ oil? Seems like you would just say “hey, oil is expensive now - if you drive for no reason you’re a dumbass, but I won’t stop you.”
Maybe Denmark cares about preventing actual shortages, or about the damage wasteful driving with high gas prices does to the economy as a whole.
Are you by chance American and a free market fundamentalist or a rugged individualist?
A country asking its citizens publicly to pull together in adressing national risks is a very normal healthy thing to do. It offers obvious direct benefits. That you are confused by this, I find disturbing.
Edit: consider the possibility that your cultural programming may be incorrect in at least some important ways.
Oil costs are going to affect transportation costs all over the board, food, clothes, construction materials… so trying to reduce consumers consumption of oil can help to reduce that impact on the rest of economy. I don’t think is going to actually work, but politicians needs to start planting the seed of scapegoats for the future.
Ah. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Then when prices increase or rationing starts, they can point back and say “guys, we told you to use less gas!”
the supply is going to be limited if this goes on
agriculture and logistics need fuel more than joe drivearound
If prices are high only the poor are affected. If you are rich and waste gas you aren’t affected. But if you are rich and save gas, it keeps prices lower for those that can’t afford it.
Most of the poor are on buses, trains or bikes, all of which are pretty good in Denmark. They can’t afford to fund cars and their random repair expenses.
We’re like 2 days in and they’re already going into their reserves which aren’t large enough for supply to be constrained for very long.
Are these, like, strategic reserves for the purposes of national security? I honestly know nothing about how this sort of thing should function, but I feel like if a nation is drawing down their reserves, they should implement a rationing system. Or else set a high price for the use of their reserves so that consumers will search for other options
Prices are also going up but its more to prevent economic stalling, which I suppose can be considered national security. High oil prices causes across board inflation. I’m sure the armed forces have a separate reserve.
Rationing is a more extreme measure.