# Driving in a Car with a Nearly Empty Tank By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2025-04-10 There can be peace of mind driving around with a full gas tank. One could go over 400 miles without refueling. With a full gas tank, one doesn’t need to worry about running out of gas. When the indicator drops to about 1/8 of a tank remaining, finding the next gas station increasingly becomes the focus of one’s attention. One looks at the signs along the road and the exit ramps more intently. Instead of enjoying the open road, a sense of anxiety can begin to form. One starts to wonder what to do if one runs out of gas. The proliferation of cell phones somewhat mitigates this situation, but it would still be a hassle to have to wait to have the problem addressed. It is much easier to hit the next gas station. And so, one keeps scanning the environment for the next opportunity to do so. To a degree, something as simple as the gas level in one’s tank can demand focus and dictate one’s thinking. What is routinely ignored when full dominates one’s thoughts when nearly empty. As it is for so many things. Crises demand our attention. Slow declines do not. As one drives, one consumes fuel. There are typically many opportunities to refill one’s tank before it approaches empty. It probably doesn’t make sense to fill up one’s tank, drive across the street to a competing gas station, and refill one’s tank. This would be obsessive. It also probably doesn’t make sense to wait until it is almost empty. This would be neglectful. Situating oneself effectively between obsession and neglect can be a challenge. Managing one’s fuel consumption, which is relatively simple, can be overwhelming. It is little wonder that managing personal relationships and socio-political goals are handled unartfully. As a society, we drive around in a car with a nearly empty tank. Plenty of filling stations exist, but we are too distracted to take care of it. It’s worth remembering that the car doesn’t care if it runs out of gas. #### Related Items [[Society]] [[Focus]] [[Attention]] [[Crisis]] [[Management]] [[Distractions]]