In the aftermath of hurricane Sandy there are many people lining up around the streets of New York in search of an outlet to plug in and charge their cellphone. Now I can understand how desperate someone may feel to get in contact with their families and friends or to call in to work, but I have to wonder: Are we too dependent on technology?
Seriously, people literally lining the streets to reach an electrical plug-in. Totally unable to find another way in which to communicate with the world at large. It's both a scary situation and even scarier when you think about the long-term implications of having a society built on technology. From even the simplest flip phone (that would be me by the way, my mother actually makes fun of me sometimes for still owning one) to the world wide web we seem to lose our bearing when the electric goes out. Never does it occur to us what it would be like to live a life without cellphones, internet, cars, subways, lights, etc because so much of our modern lifestyle depends on these very conveniences.
Excepting the small number of people who live alternative lifestyles, most of us take technology for granted and rarely consider the downside.
A natural disaster hits and we find out just how dependent we are on cell phones for communication.
The internet is a great tool for learning new things, but is also a tool for spreading misinformation.
Genetically-modified organisms are created by a crude method with little research done on their long-term affects when used in food crops. They also have ability to alter ecosystem with unknown affects.
Private vehicles are convenient and allow individuals to travel anywhere, however, the carbon monoxide released from the burning gas contributes to climate change.
The isolated plant-derived substances in pharmaceuticals has created a profitable industry that exploits people's money and health for something that carries many side affects and leads to worsening health in too many cases.
Really in the event of a natural disaster you should have well-stocked supplies, alternative heat source (in cold climates), and in the case of evacuation there should be a plan already in place. An immediate necessity should not include charging electronics. What if that peak oil scenario turns out to be right and we no longer have a cheap energy source to count on? What if a solar flare hits the Earth knocking out all grid systems? What if a nuclear war occurs and civilization as we know it is over?
Now wouldn't all those above potential scenarios be a great reason to embrace and learn a few "ancient skills" like growing your own food, using medicinal herbs, wilderness survival, living off grid, and communicating by paper instead of a keyboard. Well, it may seem unattractive at first, but we should always be prepared. Right?