"America's Addiction to Oil" is Nonsense. Conservation is Not.

The unfortunate meme, "America's Addiction to Oil" is misapplied victimology that is completely inappropriate as an official position towards energy consumption and needs to be dropped.

Addiction is technically defined as "uncontrolled, compulsive use."

America is not "addicted" to oil, we have just responded rationally to plentiful supply of a useful resource at low prices for long periods of time. However, we now face the reality of increased competition around the world to consume those resources, along with the possibility that existing supplies are drying up.

Sounds like some conservation might be in order. Simple. However, instead we get this "addicted" concept.

Let's take a look at the first step of Alcoholic's Anonymous to see how addicts approach recovery:

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.

Now, I would almost guarantee that Bush has uttered this statement in the past, and which is probably why he likes the idea of an "oil addiction" now. Sorry if that sounds like a low blow, but he did choose to utter it in his State of the Union address, which I believe was a disservice to both Americans and addicts.

And America is far from powerless over oil consumption. Saying that we are "addicted" to oil, as perhaps a heroin addict or alcoholic might be, removes our agency from the equation. Most of us are still rational adults, willing to listen and work together, even make small sacrifices for the greater good. We have the communication tools, means and ethics to make a major change if we feel necessary.

All we need to control our oil consumption is a strong leader with a vision to lead us there - encourage conservation, carpools, buying and driving smaller cars - and not just through a few sentences in the state of the union, but a real program with real incentives, and a coordinated message on TV and the web, at car dealerships, on roadways, etc. Remind me I need to conserve. Let me know I'm not the only person that's part of this process, and that our efforts are not futile or unnoticed. Share progress with the nation.

Instead, we get this idea that America is "addicted," which implies that we should wait for the government to form some kind of oil addiction clinic so we can go and get our oil meds (read: ethanol for our SUVs.) This country can - and needs to - do better. - Ed