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You all read like someone who's bothered to keep themselves abreast of what is happening in the world (plus extrapolations) and have enough reading of history and human nature to understand (especially) that television news is nothing more than theater. In the immortal words of Joe Bageant, "living in a hologram". The man is an entertainer using a well-worn script.
I'd like to get the most from a gallon of fuel. If it is nothing more than practice for the day it becomes unaffordable (and not just to me, individually) then it has been worth the effort. In the meantime -- and the reason I participate here -- I consider lowest fuel burn to accomplish the same work as being consistent with longest drivetrain (thus vehicle) life. A few extra years before replacement more than covers things.
FE is consistent with safe driving, IMO. Some techniques are outside of that, so I don't bother with them.
For someone who is driving their vehicle single-occupant, then a more reasonable goal to achieve is to load it to full capacity with a trailer of appropriate size. Move family and belongings (in the event of bad luck & circumstances) and see what it will do. That is, if you want to separate the men from the boys . . . .
What can be done to improve things, and to establish the baseline that one can predict fuel burn under maximum demand? THAT is fuel economy in a nutshell: when it really matters.
"When it really matters" is a context that takes into account the worst of times, not just the best (of which we are still within). If there is to be any reaction to an entertainers words (Bill Maher or Bill McKibben or the linked comments) then it is in knowing ones limits. Playing off of designed responses is hardly worthy of a thinking individual.
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