As most of the United States now knows, a major gas pipeline was severed on September 9th. As gas crazed Americans, people went insane. My own mother texted me to inform me that she filled up our 3 vehicles and even our gas can for the mower due to this. Seriously? The gas can for the mower. Who mows during a gas crisis? That's like watering your lawn during a drought. In NC, Gov. Pat McCrory even declared a state of emergency due to this pipeline leak. I saw people posting on Facebook that multiple gas stations had run out of gas and/or they waited in line for hours to get gas and I couldn't help but laugh.
Being a Walking Dead fanatic, this just made me realize how easily mass hysteria happens. You would think that with the popularity of apocalyptic shows and movies, that people would realize that the first step in survival is don't panic. I mean, even Millicent, the girl who was tricked into thinking an apocalypse had happened after her wisdom tooth surgery, knew that going to Costco would be a bloodbath. And, she was drugged. However, one inkling that gas prices may surge and there may be a shortage due to the leak, people go insane. I think there is a reason that shut ins like Columbus in Zombieland, and comatose Rick in The Walking Dead survived the first wave of the apocalypse, they weren't flailing around in the streets freaking out. It's just like watching a horror movie and yelling at the girl on TV because she looked in the closet and then doing the same when you hear a noise in your house.
Fortunately, the Gas Crisis isn't an actual apocalypse and no one is going to die from it. But what if this was some super virus? Or a dangerous storm? Would you be overcome with hysteria and the crowd mentality? Or would you be smarter and wait it out a bit before panicking? Just some food for thought.
