Fears of a Low-Tech World

by Susan Griffin

Since my husband and I moved to South Georgia three months ago, I have become quite familiar with the modus operandi for hurricanes. And even though I know that hurricane season usually isn't this terrible, my limited experience with them has given rise to my most recent fear:

Loss of power.

Now I am sure that those of you who know me will wonder what kind of power I am talking about: Control or Electricity. In this case I am talking about the latter, because nothing makes me feel more lacking in control than not being able to turn on a light.

When we found out that Hurricane Jeanne was headed in our direction, my husband and I did several last-minute things, including buying batteries and Beanee-Weenee's at the local grocery store. While we were in line, a person in front of us slid his debit card through the reader and it was rejected because the other end of the reader, wherever that was, didn't have power anymore. As his buggy sat forlorn in front of him with the ice bags steaming gently, the gentleman floundered for a way to pay. Fortunately he had other means of payment but it was almost terrible for him (as well as for the ice).

Once we got back home safe and sound, everything was okay. We checked the latest on television through our local news stations while simultaneously keeping weather.com up on the computer. There was a light on in every room, and I was just about to eat some chocolate ice cream when it happened:

Darkness.

Everything going still except for the shrieking wind outside.

Fortunately we had flashlights, candles, and lighters at our disposal (not to mention the chocolate ice cream), but it immediately became less secure in my little home. I was suddenly dependent on that flashlight to get from one room to the other. I could no longer check the weather online or play video games on our television. And while our cell phone still worked and the batteries brought the radio up to speed, it just wasn't the same.

I became very concerned about opening the refrigerator. The bathroom became a scary place, filled with candle-lit shadows that could either be crazed murderers or my shampoo and conditioner. I had regrets about not keeping up with any exercise routine. I wished I had gone camping or owned some "roughing-it" camping equipment to bolster my courage. Is a crossbow too much to ask for?.

Because I had a sobering realization:

Our high-tech society has made it possible for everyone to survive. Darwin's "Survival of the Fittest" doesn't apply anymore in many areas, one of which is my mid-section. I am soft and out of shape, and I haven't ever had to hunt for my supper. I pay my bills online. I wouldn't know how to make bread from scratch if my electric bread maker wasn't involved. I have no idea how long it would take me to walk to work if my car ran out of gasoline for an undetermined amount of time. I don't deal well with any environments that do not have "climate controlled" in front of them.

Still, I know it is a waste of time for me to worry too much about the possibility of losing all of our technology overnight and forever. Even so, doing without them for any time at all really makes me uncomfortable, both physically and mentally. I start to imagine the new world as it would emerge if all things computerized and electrified sank into obscurity. It's not a pretty mental image: People with spears and animal pelts using old ion batteries to blow things up and compact discs as frisbee-weapons of death. Dry, non-exfoliated skin would reign supreme. Ex-businessmen would be carrying corn and wheat in their briefcases. People with SUV's would actually drive them on rough terrain while the gas lasted and then hook them to horses after the gas ran out. Suffice it to say, my mind creates a land of complete bedlam.

I would like to say that I have changed because of this fear. I would like to report that I have started taking a "Survival in the Wilderness" class or looked into building a storm shelter. I have not done any of these things, though. I haven't even started trying to cook things from scratch. Frankly, I don't think there's any hope for me: My first reaction to this loss of power is to save up to buy a laptop computer, lots of extra batteries, and a gas-powered generator....