1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.
  2. We've had very few donations over the year. I'm going to be short soon as some personal things are keeping me from putting up the money. If you have something small to contribute it's greatly appreciated. Please put your screen name as well so that I can give you credit. Click here: Donations
    Dismiss Notice

Play this scenario out. No internet for a month. No cell phone for a month. For everyone!

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Borla, Dec 18, 2014.

  1. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    I would lose my superpowers and would return to reading books, running pen-and-paper role playing games, and playing single-player video games.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  2. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    It has the potential of being quite bad. But I honestly don't think that it would send society to a screeching halt.
    My first thought? The floor of the NYSE would become busy.

    People would need to talk to each other in-person - interact in-person, and many communities would be strengthened from the increased interaction.

    I do believe that it would absolutely change how people use technology, once the world regained connectivity.

    I'm betting my husband's present job wouldn't change too much, he would just do more face-to-face negotiation, and probably play more golf. Now if he still had his old job, he would be screwed. Organizing logistics without internet connectivity is virtually impossible.

    My present job... well, my daughter would still need me to potty train her, and she would still want to run around outside all day every day even in the rain... and I have enough papers and my data stored to the hard drive on my computer to continue working on my dissertation, I just would need access to a fax so my mentor and I could keep up with the edits. He is old school and would prefer to fax his scribbles on my papers anyway - he did that all the time until I asked that he scan and e-mail instead.

    We live close enough to a branch of our bank that we could easily walk there and withdraw funds in-person, as long as the bank had their system in running order. But then again I wonder what I would want to spend my money on, aside from food, and honestly... the relatives we're living with right now have massive food storage so we could get by for a month with what they have on-hand.

    I wouldn't want to own a business in this scenario. If I did, I would be tempted to close up shop and take a loss for that month.
     
  3. POPEYE

    POPEYE Very Tilted

    Location:
    Tulsa
    hey it might even end up like The Hobbit 3, we went to the theatre and paid for it. it was a short story that tied the ends up and left a little to open up The L of the Rings. some writing and a total blood bath. Somehow I enjoyed it.
     
  4. Daniel_

    Daniel_ The devil made me do it...

    I think that people underestimate how much dependency there is on net and cell hardwired into things.

    No net = no power grid, no traffic control, no traffic lights, no air traffic control, no police and fire service control rooms, no tv, no landlines.

    No interbank fund transfers.

    No logistics, so no stock control in larger stores, no replenishing of pharmacies.

    Recently, a gps failure caused a train to refuse to open its doors, because the safety system designed to stop people stepping off in unsafe locations.

    No net means many security alarm systems will fail, or not call for help beyond using a bell.

    In the most extreme case, a "day the earth stood still" shut down would kill millions of people in a few days.

    If there was a new world order that just switched off domestic net and phone services, there would be grumbling, but we'd all forget about it in a few weeks.
     
    • Like Like x 2