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Putting aside the fact that such an event would be catastrophic for our civilization and would end it in bursts of Mad Max like rebellions... .. so putting asi

Putting aside the fact that such an event would be catastrophic for our civilization and would end it in bursts of Mad Max like rebellions... .. so putting aside that ... I would welcome Internet being down either for an extended amount of time, or not being reliable at all and just working, say, 2 random hours a day. . would be back to my vacation as a teenager in th e80's where I had book, the 3 TV channels (this was France, so actually 2, because nobody was watching France 3) and friends I meet outside to chat. It would be truly wonderful, but I really, really hope it will not happen.

trey-jones 4y ago
This paradoxical sentiment is something I'm familiar with. The establishment sucks and is broken and is holding humanity back, but the alternative is terrifying. I've always thought I would have been better off in a pre-digital age (or post-digital?), but at the same time, I love the digits. And you're right, there would be blood.
hexomancer 4y ago
> It would be truly wonderful Well here in Iran we are going through that as we speak (there are ongoing protests and government has shut down the internet, it is only available early in the morning). Wanna trade places?
- sbaiddn 4y ago
  You have energy. Its not obvious BrandoElFillito will. Come April, he might want to swap. Western leaders are already kissing ME tyrants' butts. One cold winter, and Habeck will look to cuddle with your Mullahs for warmth.
  - BrandoElFollito 4y ago
    Honestly, HN is not a good place for such comments.
- BrandoElFollito 4y ago
  I am not sure about your comment. I never told I would be happy to be in an oppressed place. I would be glad to not have Internet (or have an unreliable one, available only sometime) because I miss the time where there was less information available. That's all. My son is in close contact with a girl in Iran and I know how tough this is - but this completely beside the point I wanted to make.
  - hexomancer 4y ago
    Sorry, maybe I reacted inappropriately. But I think we don't realize what a privilege reliable access to internet is, until it is taken away.
    - BrandoElFollito 4y ago
      I get what you are saying, especially in a case where Internet is the only reliable way to get information in or out of your country. I work in IT, spend my free time coding personal stuff and what is left - it is used to read on Internet various sources of information. This is the reason I would be glad if this was a bit limited, so that people need to go to libraries to read something, and not be overwhelmed by information. When I go trekking in places where there is no access to Internet I get a satellite phone for the sake of security. I like these times where I simply cannot connect anywhere and have to fill my head with other things (thoughts, reading, discussing, ...)
thesuitonym 4y ago
>would end it in bursts of Mad Max like rebellions... Have you not lived through a natural disaster such as a hurricane or earthquake? The power grid (and thus Internet) are down for days, sometimes weeks. The running water stops, and refrigerated food spoils. Do you know what happens? It is not Mad Max style chaos. Businesses open their doors to help everyone free of charge. Neighbors share water. People help each other.
- BrandoElFollito 4y ago
  No, I have not lived through a natural disaster where a set of very localized resources are temporarily unavailable (for a few days). If there was a general failure of Internet on the level of a country for an extended (weeks) amount of time then it would be chaos. a lot of information would not go though, you would not be able to pay in stores, hospital data could be unavailable, travel would be highly disrupted etc. If Internet breaks locally, what comes from outside this "locally" still works. If this si for a limited time people will manage. As someone said, we are a few meals away from the collapse of our civilization. Since you mention the power grid: the generally accepted idea of the Earth hitting a solar flare and having its power grid seriously damaged (and electronics) is that it would be doomsday.
  - jjav 4y ago
    > If there was a general failure of Internet on the level of a country for an extended (weeks) amount of time then it would be chaos. I'm curious if you are very young? Life doesn't depend on the internet. Take hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017. Wiped out electricity, phones and water for many many weeks for the lucky and for multiple months for many people. The unluckiest areas were without power for a year or more. Life goes on. To great inconvenience, but things keep going. The worst is being without water. As long as there is water, being without electricity or internet for weeks is no big deal. (Except of course for people who depend on life support equipment.)
    - BrandoElFollito 4y ago
      I am in my 50's, so hardly "very young" :) During these times you mention, were hospitals closed? Shops closed without anything coming in? No banks working? No fuel? Nothing being brought to the people? If so I would seriously be glad to understand how they survived (I am very serious). Otherwise it was a localized shutdown, with the rest of the country coming in to help and bring in what was not available locally. Life does depend on Internet and power on a more global scale.

trey-jones 4y ago

This paradoxical sentiment is something I'm familiar with. The establishment sucks and is broken and is holding humanity back, but the alternative is terrifying. I've always thought I would have been better off in a pre-digital age (or post-digital?), but at the same time, I love the digits. And you're right, there would be blood.

hexomancer 4y ago

> It would be truly wonderful Well here in Iran we are going through that as we speak (there are ongoing protests and government has shut down the internet, it is only available early in the morning). Wanna trade places?

sbaiddn 4y ago
You have energy. Its not obvious BrandoElFillito will. Come April, he might want to swap. Western leaders are already kissing ME tyrants' butts. One cold winter, and Habeck will look to cuddle with your Mullahs for warmth.
- BrandoElFollito 4y ago
  Honestly, HN is not a good place for such comments.
BrandoElFollito 4y ago
I am not sure about your comment. I never told I would be happy to be in an oppressed place. I would be glad to not have Internet (or have an unreliable one, available only sometime) because I miss the time where there was less information available. That's all. My son is in close contact with a girl in Iran and I know how tough this is - but this completely beside the point I wanted to make.
- hexomancer 4y ago
  Sorry, maybe I reacted inappropriately. But I think we don't realize what a privilege reliable access to internet is, until it is taken away.
  - BrandoElFollito 4y ago
    I get what you are saying, especially in a case where Internet is the only reliable way to get information in or out of your country. I work in IT, spend my free time coding personal stuff and what is left - it is used to read on Internet various sources of information. This is the reason I would be glad if this was a bit limited, so that people need to go to libraries to read something, and not be overwhelmed by information. When I go trekking in places where there is no access to Internet I get a satellite phone for the sake of security. I like these times where I simply cannot connect anywhere and have to fill my head with other things (thoughts, reading, discussing, ...)

thesuitonym 4y ago

>would end it in bursts of Mad Max like rebellions... Have you not lived through a natural disaster such as a hurricane or earthquake? The power grid (and thus Internet) are down for days, sometimes weeks. The running water stops, and refrigerated food spoils. Do you know what happens? It is not Mad Max style chaos. Businesses open their doors to help everyone free of charge. Neighbors share water. People help each other.

BrandoElFollito 4y ago
No, I have not lived through a natural disaster where a set of very localized resources are temporarily unavailable (for a few days). If there was a general failure of Internet on the level of a country for an extended (weeks) amount of time then it would be chaos. a lot of information would not go though, you would not be able to pay in stores, hospital data could be unavailable, travel would be highly disrupted etc. If Internet breaks locally, what comes from outside this "locally" still works. If this si for a limited time people will manage. As someone said, we are a few meals away from the collapse of our civilization. Since you mention the power grid: the generally accepted idea of the Earth hitting a solar flare and having its power grid seriously damaged (and electronics) is that it would be doomsday.
- jjav 4y ago
  > If there was a general failure of Internet on the level of a country for an extended (weeks) amount of time then it would be chaos. I'm curious if you are very young? Life doesn't depend on the internet. Take hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017. Wiped out electricity, phones and water for many many weeks for the lucky and for multiple months for many people. The unluckiest areas were without power for a year or more. Life goes on. To great inconvenience, but things keep going. The worst is being without water. As long as there is water, being without electricity or internet for weeks is no big deal. (Except of course for people who depend on life support equipment.)
  - BrandoElFollito 4y ago
    I am in my 50's, so hardly "very young" :) During these times you mention, were hospitals closed? Shops closed without anything coming in? No banks working? No fuel? Nothing being brought to the people? If so I would seriously be glad to understand how they survived (I am very serious). Otherwise it was a localized shutdown, with the rest of the country coming in to help and bring in what was not available locally. Life does depend on Internet and power on a more global scale.