Zombie Apocalypse

[poliphilo]

My nice new computer gave up the ghost last night- and I've had to bring my old one out of semi-retirement.

It worries me how dependent we are on our technology- and how vulnerable that makes us. I suppose that's what stories of the zombie apocalypse- and other types of apocalypse- are all about- and why they're so popular. They're fictionalising just this anxiety.  What we're doing is asking ourselves how we'd cope if the structures of civilisation were whipped out from under us. Would we turn into resouceful Crusoes- building our world up again from scratch- or dishoused Lears, wandering about and cursing feebly?

Comments

[splodgenoodles.livejournal.com]

Today I've been cleaning out a cupboard. I found some old phone directories - these days we get a tiny little volume.

(And I fully appreciate the irony that I'm only thinking about losing the internet, not telephones).

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The pace of change is speeding up. I've got a huge DVD collection- and it's already edging towards redundancy. CDs too- who needs them?

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Back in the dim, distant past of 1994, I was quite tickled that the office had an actual CD writer (half speed, to boot). Now, CD-Rs are obsolete, and CDs only hang in there because they can be resold; even DVD-Rs are old hat, versus the ease of backing up to hard drives.

As for the apocalypse, I'll be busily getting into brewing and distilling, the foundations of any civilised society.

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Don't forget the code books, too, so you'd know what prefix to use for every town and village. ^_^

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

In the run-up to the millennium I read that civilisation is only ever 6 meals away from apocalypse, which sounds about right.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It does.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Ever read E M Forster's: 'The Machine Stops'?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I have. I remember seeing a rather good TV dramatization too- somewhere back in the mists of time.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

Yes in the famous words from Dads Army "We are all doomed!"

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Don't panic, Captain Mainwaring, don't panic!

[jfs.livejournal.com]

You might find this interesting.

http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm

Summary: a guy worked out what is the most technically advanced thing a single person could make from scratch. He worked out that it was a 1950s toaster. Everything else required supply chains.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's rather scary. Even the simplest, most taken for granted piece of technology is almost mind-bogglingly difficult to make from scratch.

Mind you, if it's toast you want there's always the option of the stick and the open fire.