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How long would you live if electricity for the whole world went out permanently? (aussie.zone)

submitted 1 year ago by kowcop@aussie.zone to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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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.

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[-] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 28 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You forgot water in your scenario.

To be fair most people in a first world country don't need to think about water since it's just "there", all the time.

But as soon as the electricity goes out the water supply goes out too.

No water supply means no water to drink, with no water the human body die within 3 days, so people will start to rely on any dirty water they can find.

About dirty water, no water also means no WC. I repeat: no WC so no evacuation of feces and urine. Within a few day a big city swill be covered with human excrement. Mixed with no clean water access it means that deadly waterborne diseases will spread extremely quickly.

[-] rob_t_firefly@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

I wonder about the population using non-refrigerated but still vital medication being "comparatively small." There are countless people who would no longer be getting things they need to live, and only a very small percentage of those folks would have the ability to grow a plant or something and refine themselves a substitute of some kind. I am really curious how those numbers would line up.

this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2023

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