We might all die from our own collective stupidity.
Setup
Living in South Texas we are well aware of inclement weather. There is a saying here, "If you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change." You would think we would be used to that by now.
Normal Life
Last week we were prepping somewhat for the coming Hurricane. A few groceries. Moving things around in the yard. Securing anything that might be an issue. But the atmosphere was relaxed. Not anything that we hadn't been through before. Normal life goes on.
Social Media
People in my facebag feed start offering tips and weather updates on the morning of the storm's landfall. By lunch it had gotten viral that we were in for more of a ride than most anticipated. By evening that concern had hit a viral fever pitch.
Widespread Panic
In a matter of hours. All our grocery stores were cleaned out of bottled water, bread, eggs and other staples. Now let me state here that my town is 200 miles away from the coast. We are prone to flooding and tornados. But we were NOT in mortal danger like Rockport or Port Aransas where mass devastation and loss of life occurred.
I Am A Prepper
My family didn't require much because we were already prepared with food, water, candles, ammo and just about anything that we would need to weather out just about any eventuality.
Aftermath
It rained and the wind blew for 2 1/2 days. Some people lost power intermittently. Surprisingly we did not flood. (Houston got most of the rain) We did lose trees and had other high wind related damage. But no one died in my town. The run on the supermarkets was completely unfounded.
Price Gouging & Profiteering
Businesses closer to the coast and here were selling water for exorbitant prices pre storm. Generators and anything people perceived to be of value in a storm were horded or sold at huge markups in some places. Some citizens tried to capitalize on the sudden demand and were selling water online, in parking lots and out the back of trucks for insane prices.
Price Gouging In An Emergency In Texas Is Illegal
To be fair the majority of people did not take advantage of their neighbors. But the majority of people DID facilitate this environment by panic buying and feeding the mania and paranoia.
We Didn't Learn
Fast forward to today 4 WHOLE DAYS after the storm had passed. When it was sun-shiny and hot and life was back to normal.
Today on social media a rumor started about a possible fuel shortage in our area. In a matter of maybe 4 hours our entire supply of fuel was panic bought by people feeding into this mania.
NOW THERE IS NO FUEL TO BE HAD WITHIN A 100 MILE RADIUS.
People who didn't need fuel topped off their vehicles. People were filling multiple cans and 50 gallon drums in the backs of pickup trucks, spending hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars on fuel.
Gas stations have hiked prices according to the sudden rise of demand. Some places not much but some places by several dollars.
Repercussions
We collectively created a self-fulfilling scenario where we caused our own shortage of fuel by our own panicked reactions. Now some people have way too much fuel on hand. That has a shelf life. While others have only what is in their tanks. Ambulances, firetrucks, law enforcement and other emergency services might run out of fuel. People who were headed to Houston taking supplies and charity are now grounded because they might not have enough fuel to return. Additionally most gas stations will now require maintenance as they are not meant to run completely dry. Possibly prolonging our shortage.
Conclusion
People are stupid. Incapable of independent rational thought. This problem is exponentially compounded when social media is involved. Our collective common sense is irrational and almost entirely emotional. While some people (myself and other thinking people) did not buy into the hype. Enough people did.
Now we might not have any fuel for several days.
I saw assurances from the Texas Railroad Commissioner that we would NOT have a shortage of fuel. Former Governor Rick Perry made a statement on the news that we had plenty of fuel.
Yet our collective panic took over and we used up all our stores.
Without social media to facilitate this panic, we would not (in my opinion) have been in this predicament.
Cooler heads would have prevailed. We live in one of the biggest oil rich states in America. We have reserves in case of a storm or any other such eventuality.
Were were never in any danger of running out of fuel. Yet there were reports of people fighting in lines at fuel stations.
What Happens Now?
I am scared of what our future holds. What happens when we face a real catastrophe? If we have a bank run on withdrawals. If our electrical grid goes down? Or we have a major flood like in the past? Or any number of real terrible scenarios?
We Have To Do Better
We failed as a society in the face of what was only a perceived inconvenience. We must do better.
Or we will not survive each other if and when we face true adversity.