How long would you live if electricity for the whole world went out permanently?

I was having this conversation with my daughter and thought it was an interesting topic.

If an EMP or solar flare took out everything electronic in the whole world (permanently), how long do you think it would take for you to die, given your current location and circumstances.

I believe my daughter thinks we would live a lot longer than I do, but she is thinking about how long she can live without the internet while I am thinking the world will quickly descend into anarchy.

With no traditional forms of transport, so supplies would dry up, limited resources, health etc, law and order would be a challenge as things become more desperate.

I think I would live for about 3 months. I would try to get the family somewhere safe and remote and come back later, but I think most people would have the same idea.

aveline,
@aveline@lemmy.ml avatar

I live in the middle of the Mojave Desert, so I think it would depend on the time of year. There would be too many people fighting over what little water we have, and if it was in the middle of the summer, I don’t know that I would make it very long.

Ser_Salty,

Would it make you wish for a nuclear winter?

zacher_glachl,

I’m not too concerned. Worst case, my brother is a competition shooter and has a number of guns and the components for lots of ammo at home (he makes his own custom tailored ammo), while gun ownership is otherwise quite unusual in my country.

I suppose a major issue would be realizing early enough if things are not going to improve, and that it’s time to bug out to his place and switch to Fallout mode.

kemsat,

There’s a book I read about this. I don’t remember the title, but it was written by some US senator or house rep, probably had a ghostwriter. It was about that, some enemy of the US, maybe it was China or Russia, detonated a bunch of nukes high in the atmosphere, causing the US’s electronics to be fried.

Assuming they did their research, the book had people survive for years, but definitely addressed how hard it would be. There was looting & rioting, the family had to eat their dog eventually, and there was a massive change in the importance of trust & community. I think it was like 3 years later that the reconstruction reached the small town, and it ended along the lines of “and then there was more work.”

It was a decent read, 7/10.

Appoxo,
@Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

About treefiddy

NeoNachtwaechter,

I would live maybe even longer than in the current world. So much more action would help my physical condition.

I have grown up with low tech, so I know how to get along. It is just a lot less convenient.

morphballganon,

Got a plan for food, long-term?

NeoNachtwaechter,

Grows everywhere. I would go outside of the city, but I have heard about people in cities can also grow things.

The much more difficult “secret knowlege” (nobody seems to know it anymore except a few large companies) is how to store food long-term, for example through a cold winter.

morphballganon,

So you’re planning to find some empty land and then plant some crops?

NeoNachtwaechter,

That’s a possibility. I’m not exactly planning.

Extrasvhx9he,

I’d probably die because of looters so a month to 2 would be my guess

kalkulat,
@kalkulat@lemmy.world avatar

Good point. Having a *really * good stash isn’t a bad idea. BUT then there’s the rubber hoses. To avoid the looters, then, means moving away from them … and not leaving tracks to the stash.

I know a couple of things about making log cabins. For someone who’s got food and my back.

ada,
@ada@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

This was the storyline for the old Jessica Alba show, a Dark Angel.

eve_lynn,

Until my medication runs out. :(

jmlw,

There was a TV series based on that idea; it got weird after a while but does point out some of the complexities of living without power. The show is called Revolution and came out in 2012.

Personally though, I doubt a majority of people would be able to survive long due to complications of getting fresh water, food, not to mention medical care, etc.

MudMan,
@MudMan@kbin.social avatar

If property rights are still enforced in the turmoil probably indefinitely. Doesn't mean I'd enjoy it, though.

I come from a place where survival agriculture was the norm well into the 1980s. Would have to start having cows and pigs again, need to work out a salting station, which we haven't had for a few decades. I remember soap making was a mess. We got rid of our wood-fueled kitchen at some point, so that's a problem until society settles back in enough to start selling those again. We'd probably have to go back to setting up a corner for a fireplace in the meantime. That's before my time but it should be possible.

ProvableGecko,

As soon as the health system is out I’m taking myself out. It’s just not worth it without medicine

AtmaJnana,

Indefinitely, but significantly less life expectancy than if it didn’t happen.

I’m relatively well set up and experienced for that kind of thing. Don’t get me wrong, it would suuuck. But I think we’d be okay. I personally would probably not live as long because living rustic is fucking hard work and my kids are still too young to help much. We’d have a rough time of it, but I am confident that with our help my kids would figure out how to thrive by the time my health is failing. So yeah at least another generation or two seems likely even though I doubt I could last more than another 10 or 15 years living that way. Especially given that the first few years would be the hardest.

shinigamiookamiryuu,

My job and hobbies would both be affected, and I would be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Maybe a month.

MamboGator,
@MamboGator@lemmy.world avatar

About as long as it takes to fall into a diabetic coma. I’ve got my express ticket out. The rest of y’all gotta ride out the storm with the other plebs with functioning pancreases.

JusticeForPorygon,
@JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

Jokes on you there’s a water tower near my house

WillardHerman,
@WillardHerman@lemmy.world avatar

About six weeks.

After my medications run out, then about one or two weeks and I die. Period.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • asklemmy@lemmy.world
  • localhost
  • All magazines
    •
    Loading…
    Loading the web debug toolbar…
    Attempt #