Let's Pretend - Creative Imagination

When we were kids we use to run around a play a lot. How many times did we say 'Let's Pretend'? Well with this in mind all the time I am creating things in my minds. So I was thinking lets all get creative and play a wild game of 'Let's Pretend'.

Now this isn't actually a game, or it would be in the game thread. This is more of a practice of creative imagination. Just about every day I think about things that could happen or 'what if' situations. So I thought I would go with it.

I wonder things like:
What would happen if there we no electricity all of a sudden?
And then I play it out in my mind.

I go all the way with it too. From the immediate disasters to the final outcome. I do this in about a 3 minute time period.

So it has me wondering who else does this. What do you create in your mind? Oh please share, cause dang, I am gonna be in here all the time with this. Not only do I want to know what you think, but what do you think of what everyone else is typing and thinking.

It all stirs the imagination up. This is a brainstorming, problem solving, creative thing. This is how idea's are born.

So with that I am going with the first one mentioned, and if you have more please share, cause I am gonna love it.

So lets pretend one day we wake up and there is no electricity any more. Something has happend and it can't be made. All lines are down, no phone, no microwave, no computers, nothing. What happens?

First panic, world wide. Everyone goes nuts. No mass produce food, no instant communication. Problems instantly, at the moment it happens.

I think it would start with chaos for a month or so of everyone trying to figure out what to do. Crimes would be insane and stores would be robbed, probably for food. There would be no point in stealing electric things, after they realize they wouldn't be worth anything.

But in time, things would calm down. I think community's would start working together again. People would start taking care of their own. We would protect ourselves and not rely on the government to save us anymore. Not that they do now. We would lean how to grow stuff again. We would lean how to take care of our health again.

Hey it's all a dream but I could go a lot of places with this. Their is no ideal life. But dang things would change.


So lets go with this. You ever wonder?? What would happen if their was no more oil?? What if we had to cook own own bread? What would happen if you had to raise your own kids?? What if their was no more disposable diapers??? The list is endless...

Give us a few days to think about this. I am sure you will be getting some responses. I can already tell you it is a scary thought.

Another thing people would do besides grab as much food as they could, legally or otherwise, would be to grab as many radios batteries, weapons and ammo as they could lay their hands on in a crises like that because the police and other law enforcement would be too overwhelmed with maintaining order. Another thing that comes to mind, for me anyway, is that people would also trying to get their hands on all the medical supplies that they could get their hands on as well. And above all else, they would be doing their best to protect their family and property from all the roving gangs that would be sprawling over everything. And it would take months, if not years to put everything back online, becasuse everyday things like the natural gas, water, industry, the traffic lights are controlled by computers these days. Local government would be non-existent in some areas. State and Federal agencies and the military would be stretched extremely thin, especially in the beginning.

Damn, Zaimless..what a brilliant thread! I'm sure you will get loads of ideas and replies, but I thought I would chip in a little just to keep it going cos I think about his kind of stuff all the time...

We live out in the middle of nowhere, and have power cuts almost every winter, and the lack of electricity really makes you take a step back and realise you vulnerable we all are. And that's just with the grid gone....imagine EVERYTHING electrical just not working any more...like cars that rely on electronic ignition...fuel pumps that need electronics to get them started....

Suddenly no heat, no hot water, no fridge....actually no cooker....and no transport anywhere unless you have a horse. I've thought about this for real...should l get a horse? Really...I'm serious. At least we are in a better situation than most with open fires, and a huge garden to grow stuff in, but most people would really struggle. I'm having a hard time imagining what the effects would be on society...

I guess most people would prioritise very quickly and fairly effectively. Food would be rationed and shared...hopefully...and I'm guessing that if there was work to be done repairing infrastructure like powerlines, that there would be a huge workforce waiting to get started...maybe in exchange for food. Perhaps for a while people wouldn't be so bothered about cash, as there would be nowhere to spend it.

I can only hope that the government has contingency plans for something like this in terms of emergency food supplies, as almost everyone will be totally caught out. the two big issues would be law enforcement, or lack of it, and food. Of course, it would depend on what time of year this might happen...here in the far north, winters can be really harsh, and a disaster like this at this time of year would be much worse than if it happened in April, at the start of the growing season.

As brutal as it might be, I think..I hope...that something like this would really strengthen our sense of community and our reliance on each other...we all have skills that we can trade, even if it's just mowing the lawn, or babysitting. We would get to know our neighbours better, for sure. I don't like to think about the negative possibilities, but I'm sure there would be plenty...maybe I should buy a shotgun to go with the horse...I've though about that too!

Great thread....a star and a flag for you...I wish I could come up with more ideas for you...

Cait

Hmm, an interesting concept there.

ok, I (at Present) live on a Military base. The whole fort would go under lock down. No one in , no one out until things get organized. One thing that I would investigate is (assuming that no electricity can flow through wires) would be converting vehicles on base to steam power. Not much that you could do with a tank, but Trucks would be useful. The fort also has a set of railroad tracks running to it so I can see a resurgence of steam power for rail usage. It would take a long time but I could see civilized society coming back.

Originally posted by Zaimless
What if we had to cook own own bread? What would happen if you had to raise your own kids??

err...some people DO make their own bread .... every day.

and who the hell doesn't raise their own kids??

I don't get it!

You obviously live in a world full of toooo many conveniences.

Not much would change here in rural France....in fact I think some people would welcome it. We are obviously more used to the homely natural ways with self sufficiency as part of everyday life.

Personally I'd get a few wind turbines and some solar panels up, plant even more in the veggie patch and fix my old pushbike. Chickens in the sheds, candle-making and wood-chopping.

Sounds great.

How far would you have to go to get water if there was no running water??

I'd have to go at least a couple of miles. Dang and I am sure I would be wishing I had a horse or bike for the event!!!

Lots of people don't raise their own kids. The have their parents do it and nanny's do it, boarding schools and baby sitters, while they work and getting drunk. Raising your kids has a lot more to do with it than getting them up and putting them to bed. I did it 24/7, not everyone does that anymore.

Question for you.

How far do you want to take the no electricity scenario?

No Power plants? (electricity will flow but all major sources of power won't work)

Including Solar? Or wind?

No power allowed to run through wires? (no electricity will flow through wires)

No Battery power? (All batterys are drained)

Edit to add:
I presume that normal voltage will run through nerves, the brain etc.

A combo of the above?




[edit on 7-11-2008 by Deson]

I live on a family compound in the woods with my children, their children. my brother, his daughter and her children.

We would immediately close and lock the gate of the access road. We would implement the plans we have prepared for such an event.

The grandchildren and nieces would load their rifles while the adults would load all weapons in the houses.

Next we would assign the watch list. At Least 4 of us would take each watch period.

I Would be starting a fire and getting my cooking equipment ready.

The men would be changing the pump on the well to a hand pump and get the generators ready and prepare the solar panels.

After I had everybody doing their work I would start making a quilt while I was watching the cooking.

I have everything in place so we would finally be using what I have worked years to acquire.

Maybe now my family will quit laughing and making jokes about my survival obsession.