I’d say, the general UK population can be put into two groups because of this petrol shortage.
A. The ‘I CANNOT run out of petrol’ group.
B. The ‘I cannot BELIEVE people are stockpiling petrol’ group.
No matter what group you’re in, the tension out on the streets is thick.
But why are we like this? What has happened for it to feel like the world is turning in on itself in the blink of an eye?
The most recent (and most similar) scenario being the infamous ‘toilet paper debacle of 2020.’
Not only has being able to be in constant communication 24/7 made us more aware of any global issue and blow it out of proportion. We are also able to create our own reality based on what we read and hear. Then within that reality, you can spread the word and thus others join that reality.
It’s a vicious cycle, but it’s been happening increasingly just in the last couple of years.
Not only is it easy to find your own facts on any topic imaginable, but this also means that ‘hard facts’ become somewhat redundant.
What can you do about the petrol shortage?
It may be the last thing you want to hear, but nothing.
Panic buying will indeed create a petrol shortage, like what was rumoured. So what panic buying has done is confirm the suspicions and therefore creates that ever-flowing spiral. In that spiral too are group B who are angry at group A but are then putting themselves on a pedestal of I told you so once there is a shortage.
Whether you are in group A or group B, doing nothing will put us all on the same playing field and would mean things go back to normal much faster.
It sounds simple, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, that’s not the way of the world right now. We are all in need of some sort of felt control.
Whether you are jumping on the panic buying bandwagon or not, what you’re feeling right now can be redirected to something more productive if you are willing to take a step back and answer:
