Survival Therapy When The Power Goes Out.
Step One: Stay calm.
So I’m at a local Starbucks finishing up some copywriting content for a business client, enjoying some Pretty Lights, finally in the work groove when blink — lights out!!
An intense thunderstorm was happening outside, knocking the power out in the process. However, in that brief moment of semi-darkness and sans-wifi, it brought to mind of how excessively reliant we are on the internet and technology. Myself included, there was twelve of us altogether, and quickly realising that without the power, there was no internet connection; and that I would be unable to finish working since it involved using my internet browser…
I’m a product of the 90s. To me that was our greatest period of civilization so far — before all the instant gratification we’ve become so addicted to, before the constant bombardment on our dwindling attention spans with being notified, updated, connected, and #trending with the populace surrounding us. Being without power made me think: ‘What would I be doing as a kid back in 97?’ Playing outside, drawing, or reading a book…which was my first inclination.
An older gentlemen sitting next to me that I’ve gotten to know while frequenting this store, Dan, shared with me how growing up in the Philadelphia row housing before air conditioning was the new modern convenience, that residents would congregate outside and interact with another. The entire neighborhood knew everyone. Soon after AC was ubiquitously adopted, he said everyone withdrew to their homes and the interaction among residents lessened…but only until the power or ac went out again.
That’s what we need more of in today’s world of extremely targeted marketing. Buy this! — 10 free that! — subscribe for only $99.00 a yr! We’re starving for the simplistic social interactions of times past when we weren’t so busy as to not take the time to enjoy simple pleasures of riding a bike, swimming with your friends, hanging out at the local park in the evenings, and let’s not forget the infamous skating rinks…or [one of] my personal pleasures: quality reading time. An era of elegance without the over stimulating digital tech that’s always shoved in our faces.
Give ourselves a few more years or decades after we’ve effectively removed the ills of our current societal structures, and I believe we as a society will be better adjusted to real time social interactions and maybe, I hope, we can all have the best of both the 90s age of innovation and nostalgia [minus the incessant advertising] with today’s modern conveniences.
Step Two: Go…Live.
