Severing Our Lifeline: The End of Electricity and Technology

Greetings, ATS!

What I am about to propose is pure conjecture on my part. I have no research to share, no sources to cite, and nothing but my own suppositions with which to validate my claims. Therefore, please recognize that my topic is speculative in nature and must be discussed in the realm of common sense.

For quite some time, I’ve been concerned about society’s growing dependence on technology.

As a child, my great grandparents lived on a farm where they grew their own crops, butchered their own meat, raised chickens and cows for dairy and eggs, and were pretty much self-sufficient. They lived in the Appalachian Mountains in a “poor” community….they had electricity and it was considered a marvel (I believe electricity came to the area around the 1950s, according to my father, who was young at the time). When I visited them in the 1980s as a child, they had a huge radio and a stove and that was it for electric appliances. Eventually they were given a refrigerator (they used a spring house) and a television (which they rarely watched). In fact, the most “advanced” room in the house was the midwife guest room (my great-granny was the local midwife…she delivered over 2,000 babies and never lost one. The room was equipped with an incubator for the newborn babies).

Now, compare how the majority of us live today (in the Western societies). We are completely dependent upon electricity….without it, we cannot conserve or cook our food, communicate with anyone beyond a few mile radius, etc. Even the basics, such as light and warmth, would be gone.

Of course, this is nothing new. Everyone’s experienced the inconvenience of power outages. We survive for a couple of days without too much trouble….but what if the power remained out for months? I realize “preppers” are acutely aware of this possibility and are “prepared” for such an event. But I want to take it one step further.

In addition to our dependence on electricity, we’ve grown dependent on technology. Yesterday, I came across an article claiming that this dependence was actually making us dumber. I created this thread about it in case you want to read it. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time, and I see the makings of a disaster.

Now its time to step into the realm of speculation. What would happen if we lost our electricity AND technology for a long time? In other words….we’re back in the stone age. No access to anything that runs on batteries, etc.

How would we rebuild? Heck, how would we survive? Could we survive? My great-grandparents would have been fine; they were completely self sufficient. But my generation? How many of us could start a fire without matches? (yes, we would eventually run out of matches). How many of us could butcher meat, or even hunt for meat? How many of us could build adequate shelter, dig wells, forage for edible plants?

Would we even get the opportunity? I imagine, within a couple of weeks without electricity…..riots would be common place. People would kill for food and water, medication and more. The cities would be the worst; with smaller cities and villages next in line.

I realize this doomsday scenario is nothing new to the ATS crowd…you’ve already explored this possibility and many of you are dedicated to surviving the unthinkable. But here’s where my conspiracy spider-sense kicks in…..I think this is how TPTB might decide to depopulate the planet.

It would be so easy. Perhaps those underground shelters would make a great place to sit back and wait a year or so while us plebians kill each other or die of ignorance. Give it another year for the wildlife to scavenge the bodies….then switch the power back on.

Paranoid, I know. I don’t know why I’m thinking this way, maybe its too much time on ATS. But it’s a feeling I’m having and I wanted to share. Hopefully some of the bright minds here can quickly shoot down my argument and explain how wrong I am.

Hopefully.

reply to post by smyleegrl


I am reading this thread as my lights are flickering lol, there is lots of homes without power here in Northern Ireland at the minute due to the weather. I am expecting mine to go out soon :-( last time it happened was about four years ago an that was only for a few hours.

All I have done to prepare is buy a few more candles.

I would be totally screwed with the long term lose of electricity, its scary just thinking about it. Im far too lazy to be a prepper.

reply to post by smyleegrl


I know that storing food and water in containers several feet under ground would be a somewhat decent alternative.

We'd have to live by the necessity standard, not the storage standard.

This is abstract.

Last night my oldest daughter and I were watching "Wife Swap" on ABC.

I know, I know. Why? Well, I only have a converter box. I refuse to get cable. I'm not rotting my kids brains with nickelodeon and the cartoon network. Period.

So anyways. The two wives are from a Michigan farm nearly off the grid, and a woman from Las Vegas who lives the "good life".

At the end of the show, I ask my eldest daughter, "So which life would you prefer? The off the gird Michigan life (we live in Michigan, but in the city, complete with all technological comforts.) or would you rather have the Las Vegas life living up the night life, and lounging about during the day?

I was so proud. My daughter says, "Well, it makes more sense to know how to take care of yourself, once all the technology is stripped away. I guess I'd pick the Michigan life. Just because, I want to know how to live life with or without the technology!"

It's all about just talking to our children. Reminding them that life continues on, no matter WHAT! Even when the phones and TV are stripped away, guess what.... we live on. It's our saving grace, our ability to adapt. I don't worry so much about technology. If it can't be used for the benefit of all mankind, we will squash it voluntarily anyways. I really believe that.

Peace,
Cirque

reply to post by smyleegrl


I've given this some thought before.

Most of the Western world would be boned. We couldn't get food into the cities, a lot of food storage needs power and without electrics most vehicles wouldn't work. There would be no tap water, as it comes from electrically pumped water, same for sewage. Heat and lighting would be the least of our problems long term.

Those who survived the first couple of years would probably make it through, as enough of the population would die off to take the pressure off the food supply. Unfortunately we currently have a population mainly made up of
people who don't bother to plan for emergencies of even a minor kind. How many people know how to dig a well? Store even minimal emergency food? Grow veg? It would be very ugly.

I'm a suburban/semi rural survivalist. Keep lots of stored food etc just in case.

reply to post by smyleegrl

Now its time to step into the realm of speculation. What would happen if we lost our electricity AND technology for a long time? In other words….we’re back in the stone age. No access to anything that runs on batteries, etc.

How would we rebuild? Heck, how would we survive? Could we survive?

How did our forefathers survive before the invention of electricity? How did our parents (and some of us) survive before cell phones and Google?

We get by just like everyone before us.

But my generation? How many of us could start a fire without matches? (yes, we would eventually run out of matches). How many of us could butcher meat, or even hunt for meat? How many of us could build adequate shelter, dig wells, forage for edible plants?

Would we even get the opportunity?

It’s great that you’re considering these things NOW…before you HAVE to do it.

Welcome to the prepper community!

Now you know what to start working on. It's a never ending process and priorities change along the way. Get started and roll with it.

As someone raised in Appalachia (tip of NE Georgia) I have in fact pooped in outhouses, lit the house by kerosene lanterns and gotten my water from a crank well, while keeping things cool in a spring house. Grant you, it was my grandparents' house - we had the electric - but all in all, it's not a bad life. It's real survivable, at least for people raised in that environment.

I do not like plowing with mules, though, that's a thing you really have to get used to.

I think you ARE being paranoid.
TPTB need us to consume, to stay rich, want us put in our proper place. However...
Survival is a different matter. If TPTB do know there is something coming to cause devastation, they will have their bunkers, hoping these will keep them intact if and when the balloon goes up. They might be able to spot something coming, but I don't think they have the foggiest idea of what this destruction will be like. In fact, their bunkers could possibly be the worst place to be when the worst happens.

How did our forefathers survive before the invention of electricity? How did our parents (and some of us) survive before cell phones and Google?

reply to post by seabag


The difference is they grew up learning the skills necessary to survive. For example, my great-grandfather built his own buildings and home, knew how to hunt and run a farm. Whereas I have never had to build anything, have never hunted or foraged for food, etc. those basic survival skills the older generation knew....are lost to many of us.

reply to post by smyleegrl


Everything you just said is EXACTLY why I go into the bush at least once a month.
I can make fire,get my own food and keep myself going.

I went "camping" last weekend,it was minus 18 overnight and I didn't use a tent.

Survival people....LEARN IT!!!!!!!!

People seem to forget how we got to this point and who brought us here....primitive man did,not a Steve Jobs guy or a Bill Gates guy.

Technology is great but it won't save you if the poopie hit the fan...learning how our ancestors did things will...its becoming lost knowledge.
Don't let it be erased from the human mind or we will have to start again from scratch,following animals that killed something and scavenging the carcass so we can eat because we can't do it ourselves.

Go outside and learn the REAL world.

In reality, stocking up on liquor would be wise. You can trade that for pretty much anything. Making a smokehouse is easy, outhouse is easy. If you can make moonshine your set. So, a .22 rifle for hunting, shotgun for protection and a fresh water source would get you through. My grandparents were from the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The land is still in the family and has a nice spring. I guess i would go there. I don't think i would have much trouble making it without electricity. I made a thread about my grandmother, she never cared for electricity and did just fine.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Well, you're right about one thing Smylee...

Our society has grown completely dependent on electricity and technology to handle our day to day lives. So much so, that probably half of the younger generation wouldn't have a clue how to make toast without a toaster... and ready made sliced bread and a tub of margarine.

It would be absolute utter chaos within days. There would easily be hundreds of thousands of deaths within the first year from people killing each other over the last can of raviolis in a looted grocery store. Without a doubt, the worst place to be if all hell broke loose is the cities.

As for these conspiratorial thoughts of yours regarding a government intended kill off in this manner ? Well, maybe you have been hanging out on ATS too much...



... but then again




I wouldn't be surprised if the SOB's actually did have that plan in the works. It would be the easiest way to take a massive chunk out of the populace in a short period of time. All they would have to do is sit back and watch the plebeians drop like flies.

How many of us could start a fire without matches? (yes, we would eventually run out of matches). How many of us could butcher meat, or even hunt for meat? How many of us could build adequate shelter, dig wells, forage for edible plants?

I can and so can many others...

Don't underestimate humanity....
In a time of need I like to think most would be more like the Japanese during their disaster by helping each other out and less like America during disasters.

Yes allot of poeple would die... Yes allot of people would suffer...

But there are allot of us that would not mind going back to those times if the need arose and would be more than willing to help out as many as possible during that time.

reply to post by CranialSponge


But that's just it. We wouldn't drop like flies.

We wouldn't. We'd have excess in the countries, and send it out to the suffering masses who think that community and unity is not what survives. It IS. During season, stop going to the grocery mart - go to your ***king Farmer's Market.

It's those who know how to function w/o government - who will come forward to teach the masses.

Beware mansato. We already know how. Don't forget the basics. The basics is what you will fall back on, and teach those who have forgotten -

We are of nature - not apart.

If you live in the city, and simply own the right to plant the lining around your house. Plant a fricking garden around your HOUSE!!! And share the excess with neighbors. It's not hard. It really is that simple. Just buy the seeds and do it. I promise you!!! It's that simple!!!

Peace,
Cirque

reply to post by knowledgedesired


I can see a lot of urbanites dying when the water goes off, a few weeks later. It was pretty funny/awful on the Gulf Coast to watch when Katrina went through, the townies were dying because they couldn't open their apartment windows or flush the toilets.

Me, I just wired the little generator to the well and played cards with the family. I think a lot of people can't hunt, or find drinkable water, or fend for themselves. And I think in a prolonged SHTF situation it'll degenerate into anarchy pretty fast, then the groceries will be gone, and people will start drinking unfiltered ditch water, and you'll get a quick die-off from cholera and dysentery. All the old and sick will go, then babies, then the less self-sufficient.

Those of us on farms with firearms and expertise will RULE THE WORLD! MWA HA HA!

I figure in two years the game will repopulate, and I can go pick through the debris for some nice furniture, some new clothes, books and whatnot. It'll take about that long for the last of the townies to die.

I wouldn't want to be in the northeast though. Can you imagine what NYC will smell like with 3/4 of the pop dead?

reply to post by Bedlam

Those of us on farms with firearms and expertise will RULE THE WORLD! MWA HA HA!

What will you do when bullets run out??

There is a difference between surviving and sustaining...having bullets is sustaining until they run out.
Learn without it...our ancestors could do it...are we that different that we can't??
From what I read on this site about people with their guns....i think its a bad mentality.

Primitive man could do it...all we have is slogans like "its so easy even a caveman can do it"
Yet,we couldn't survive in their environment.

Most here couldn't last in that type of environment if their life depended on it.
"Life depended on it" are the key words here.

Knowledge will help you...not guns and ammo.
Thats a short term solution which is why its called sustaining...not surviving.
When your bullets are gone all you have is 2 feet and a heartbeat and without knowledge about how to survive....you might not have that heartbeat for long.

Part of the year I live in S. Texas and the rest I live on a farm by the Thai/Laos border. Even in South East Asia the larger retail stores are all going computer based cash registers for inventory; electricity goes off then no sales. Luckily there are 1000s small mom and pop stores which still do it the old way.

The problem with survival is drinking water. I dug two water wells and ended up with dry holes....which killed my little fish farm and irrigation plans. People buy drinking water, plastic bottles for the most part. .....I pray if the lights go out I am overseas because if it is out for a couple of weeks in the states I personally believe some of our cities will get bad as a survival option. Because we live in a farming community there are fruits and veggies everywhere. Allot of S.E. Asia is under drought conditions and the monsoons are still a couple of months away so let us hope it rains. Chickens, eggs, pork, and sea food are the main staples for protein. So I guess you could say it is not just a western civilization problem but many countries throughout the world have adopted the western model of urban sprawl and traffic jams.

reply to post by Bedlam


When my wife gives me a hard time about my ammo purchases I just remind her that each bullet could mean a meal or save our life in a time of need. I am not stocked up for the next hundred years or anything but I think I have enough to take care of my family long enough to get situated and deal witht the issues at hand.

One of the best things about living in Texas is you don't have to look far to find an animal to shoot and eat and guns and ammo go hand and hand with a state the has the motto... You don't mess with Texas.. plus militia groups are everywhere here.

I think the only reason they have not made a play for the NWO is becasue the think tanks have already concluded that people will stick together and the only major change will be the gubberment.

Man... REALLY?

You can't even look back a few centuries???

And know your rural know where it is at? Really? Are you that removed from your roots? BULLCRAP!!!

We all know.. You are all just too pig-headed to admit it. It's that simple. We are not that far gone from reality. Everyone is NOT living in la-la land.

We all know the importance of basic survival skills and community involvement so the MAX level received what others can afford. If you don't remember, do yourself a favor and volunteer, so you realize, there are others less fortunate than yourselves.

Man.... I'm in a mood. Apologies.

Cirque

reply to post by CirqueDeTruth


Can you please use the quote or reply button.
I am not sure if this is aimed at me or someone else??

Clarification please??