Hypothetical Doomsday Scenario

[creekbend]

Quite simply, I took relevant parts of what you said and stated my opinion in response to them, much like people do every day. Honestly, some of your posts are one huge blob of text, and if you took the time to break them up into paragraphs, they would be much easier to read.

Sincere apologies. I forgot that I was playing Chess with a Checkers player. I have noticed that your have posted pictures in some of your posts and threads in the past. You have posted pictures of your Tractor, Truck;etc. There is even a picture of your Tractor in your Avatar. Do you not consider this to be using Modern Technology? Or is Modern Technology only appropriate when it suits your needs and benefit you personally. BTW, I don't possess the capability to post pictures.Do you rely on your local Weather forecasts in regards to impending severe weather when it threatens? Most people would include Doppler Radar as being considered Modern Technology. Sincere apologies, once again, in posting "One Huge BLOB of TEXT". Checkmate. Sincere apologies once again, I forgot that I was playing Chess with a Checkers player. Since you posted that you had difficultly in understanding my previous post, I will attempt to assist you with your understanding level. The previous text did include some intentional sarcasm, but when you throw stones, it is best to possess a Catcher's Mitt. Then again, you may think of a Catcher's Mitt as part of Modern Technology.

 

[MasseyWV]

Sincere apologies. I forgot that I was playing Chess with a Checkers player.

Oh come on, did you really take my response that personally? I wasn't trying to offend you when I pointed out that your "huge blob of text" posts were hard to read. BTW: I happen to be a very good Chess player, when I want to play.

 

[dave1949]

Have you looked around lately? People seem to be turning into zombies, becoming ever more hopelessly addicted to their precious gadgets, all the while forgetting how to actually live their lives. Opinions obviously vary, but I believe that we would be much better off without being so dependent on technology for our very survival.

++1 on the zombi-ization of western civilization

 

[riptides]

If you think about it, on a personal scale, maybe even a community scale, you and I may deal with doomsday scenarios anyday.

The recent storm, the Delrecco, that went through the mid-atlantic and hit northern va and the district turned off power for hundreds of thousands for over a week. The most powerfull nation on the planet, yet Washington DC gave two days unscheduled leave to Federal employees.

Trust me, the storm was pretty bad.

People made due.

 

[Combustix]

I for one do not worry of the crazed city people coming to the country to rob me of my food and water. They will never find there way into the country because there gps's won't work and neither will google maps, and most will be to lazy to walk

 

[patrick_g]

Surviving Katrina is NOT a valid example of how resilient we are and how well we can withstand disaster!!!

Katrina and other disasters only inconvenience a very small portion of the population. The Federal Gov would not survive a loss of all electric powered technology and continue on in a form able to offer aid to anyone. The National Guard, regular military, militias, etc would be unable to feed themselves much less distribute food to large numbers of others. Their infrastructure is dependent on electric stuff too. I'm not sure what level of anarchy might pervade the military but in such a survival situation I think I'd rather NOT see the military anywhere near me. Military... large group of armed people carrying guns and looking for food and water. This isn't Hollywood folks and you won'r see Kevin Costner delivering the mail.

Pat

 

[patrick_g]

Trust me, the storm was pretty bad.

People made due.

And what percent of the population was inconvenienced? If EVERYONE was in a disaster scenario, who would be helping out? People made do... Yeah for a little while with lots of help not for years with no help.

Pat

 

[patrick_g]

Yes, it can go on and on, but that's the point, one learns as they go. By the way, it may not be Klingons, but the universe is a big place and it's entirely possible that aliens could someday visit planet Earth, unlikely perhaps, but possible. Since we're using examples, lets look at an unlikely scenario that actually happened... Almost noone thought that 9/11 could happen, but it did.

I truly believe we have less to worry about at the hands (tentacles?) of space aliens than we do from residents of Earth. Given the extreme technological difficulties of traveling here from any other star the alien travelers would be so advanced as to want for nothing (think food replicators and other technologies as of yet unimagined.) They sure wouldn't need our resources or us for any nefarious reasons. The most likely reason I can come up with for aliens to come by our neck of the universe is curiosity. I'm open to alternate views if anyone disagrees. Stephen Hawking and I part ways on our views of aliens interacting with humans.

Chimpanzees are separated from humans by a very small percentage of our DNA and chimps use of tools hardly surpasses sticking a straw into a termite mound to get bugs. Even when chimps kill and eat one another they don't use clubs.

Those aliens might easily be as or more advanced ahead of us as we are ahead of the chimps. We would appear as chimps to them possibly if we were lucky and insects if we were not so lucky.

Losing all electric powered tech at once would cause our fellow humans to become survival competitors. There would not be enough food grown or distributed sufficiently in first world nations to keep the overwhelming majority from starvation. There would not be time to develop the infrastructure needed to successfully revert to living like in the old days before mass starvation and anarchy would make for an extremely dangerous situation.

Our fellow humans in a disastrous survival mode would be direct competition for the resources required to sustain life. Back against the wall, him or me, death or survival, would deal a severe blow to altruism.

Pat

 

[patrick_g]

The Dark Ages led to the Renaissance, which in turn, gave rise to historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.



Yes, I can.

Have you looked around lately? People seem to be turning into zombies, becoming ever more hopelessly addicted to their precious gadgets, all the while forgetting how to actually live their lives. Opinions obviously vary, but I believe that we would be much better off without being so dependent on technology for our very survival.

What about the dark ages followed by the age of enlightenment? I don't see a useful connection with the doomsday hypothetical being discussed. This is two entirely different situations, not able to be equated. Comparing apples to pencil erasers is of no value. The dark ages were not entered overnight as there was time to develop the infrastructure to grow and distribute food to most of the postulation. Loosing everything electrical overnight is an entirely different situation. Surviving it is highly unlikely so the odds of having world class artists generated in the chaos of the dying is at best unlikely wishful thinking.

Pat

 

[MasseyWV]

What about the dark ages followed by the age of enlightenment? I don't see a useful connection with the doomsday hypothetical being discussed. This is two entirely different situations, not able to be equated. Comparing apples to pencil erasers is of no value. The dark ages were not entered overnight as there was time to develop the infrastructure to grow and distribute food to most of the postulation. Loosing everything electrical overnight is an entirely different situation. Surviving it is highly unlikely so the odds of having world class artists generated in the chaos of the dying is at best unlikely wishful thinking.

I never said that a permanent power loss wouldn't cause massive loss of life, but even you have to admit that the odds of every human on the planet dying as a result of such an event is virtually impossible. Even a global catrostophy such as nuclear war probably wouldn't kill everyone. The humans who survived would likely go through many phases of change over a long period of time, some good and some bad, but ultimately I feel that the long-term outlook for humanity would be better than it is today. Hence my comparison of the Dark Ages to the Renaissance.

Afterall, it's only hypothetical.