in retrospect, the american obsession and mental sensitivity to gas prices is very curious. The average national gas price in 2008 was about $3.50 which is almost what it is now in 2026. And being a commodity product sold per gallon, there's obviously no shrinkflation or enshittification going on. It's actually remarkably stable in the face of almost 20 years of steady broader inflation.

▲

JumpCrisscross 12 hours ago | parent [-]

> the american obsession and mental sensitivity to gas prices is very curious

It strikes me as sensible. DRAM being cheaper over decades doesn’t negate the impact of recent price hikes.

▲

missedthecue 12 hours ago | parent [-]

Well it's not just recent price increases. Any time gasoline goes above $4, congress is at risk of being flipped (completely independent of the current party in control).

	▲	JumpCrisscross 12 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> Any time gasoline goes above $4, congress is at risk of being flipped Inflation is a bitch. It’s also been the ruin of republics since at least the Romans, possibly sooner.