Well, greed is a source of much pain in our world.  And even though I'm not a believer in price controls or salary controls, I was flat out offended (for example) when Exxon's Lee Raymond took a $100 million dollar payday.  That kind of disregard for other people is sickening.  When people see and hear about that and then look at today's gas prices, no wonder they get upset.

But I don't think that obscures my larger point about gas prices. 

Your other thoughts touch on all our lifestyles and how it may affect others' freedom in either intended or unintended ways (I think).  I hear you, but I wonder how much good it does to dig too deep in that regard.  Aren't you really saying that we are all interdependent in one way or another?