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RE: What If The Internet Stopped Working For A Week?

in #whatif7 years ago

The tricky illusion that we're stuck in today is that the internet is here to help us - to make our lives easier, give easy access to more and more information. But in the undertones of that very process, we're beginning to silently depend on it for the smallest of things.
I personally cannot imagine a day without internet - whether its work related, to communicate with someone or basic entertainment. Everything revolves around the internet - even ordering food (for the most part)
It really is scary how much we depend on something that should be a mere secondary assistance in our lives to get ahead.

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... we're beginning to silently depend on it for the smallest of things

True but consider this. How much do you depend on language?

There was a time when all we had were grunts and guesswork. Then little by little we started to agree on what different grunts meant so we could cooperate better. Thus came language.

Imagine a terrorist bioweapon that caused temporary aphasia across an entire urban city. It would be an even bigger catastrophe than losing the internet.

This is because while humans have invented and discovered a great many things, some of these things are so earthshaking that the whole shifts to accommodate them and the world before them becomes impossible to see again.

Spoken language. Agriculture. Written language. Money. The Internet.

Take away any of those things and the world collapses into death upon death until we reach a population that can survive in that old version of the world.

Agreed. But while that stands to be true, it can't be the only fact when it comes to predicting in such situations and exploring the "what ifs"
Humans have evolved and survived catastrophes because of their insanely positive disposition, and the ability to adapt to absolutely anything. And it's innate.
Do you think people in Iraq, Syria and Palestine have access to basic necessities (the internet has been added to the list officially by HRC in the UN)? No!

In times of war, countries suffering did not have these basic necessities no matter what we've discovered and accomplished. When it comes to disaster, we're pretty darn great at evolving and adapting to circumstances and contingency plans. Knowing and believing in that, we should perhaps every once a while, practice life without the internet also. Get close to nature, enjoy proper relationships in earnest and in person - not virtually, and not to touch any extremes, but just to keep in touch with the natural and internet-free way of living just a little bit, wouldn't be the worst thing ever. Thoughts?

I love the way you write !

Exactly. We are becoming more and more dependent on it. Common sense says we need a Plan B if things go south for the internet.