RE: Blackout Venezuela: Observations on the absence of electricity.

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RE: Blackout Venezuela: Observations on the absence of electricity.

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snoreball in #venezuela • 7 years ago

Apologies. One because of what going on in Venezuela and secondly I find your experience a bit humorous as well.

I remember traveling to Haiti a few years ago and the electricity would shut off every 3 hours. So what sounded like an apocalyptic event for you used to be a normal day for me.

Technology has the ability to bring us all closer together, but instead people have used it to fulfill their selfish desires. Going without electricity in my experience, forced everyone to interact with each other, even people you didn't like. It forced you to be more respectful, more resourceful, and become less wasteful with food (no refrigerator to keep food fresh) so everyday you had to look for something to eat. Pretty much everyone had to look out for each other because electricity was no longer going to do it for them.

Almost off topic but I also had to find a way to do nothing in the most literal sense. There wasn't always someone to chitchat with. Usually when we say we say we are doing nothing, we are actually doing something involving some use of electricity, surfing the web or browsing social media. When electricity was out, I would sometimes just look at the stars, something I hadn't done since I was a child. Other times, I would just look at the animals.

Overall, I can't say that life is better without electricity. In many ways the experience was just as inorganic as life with electricity, because everyone was forced to interact with each other. What do you think will happen when the electricity comes back? Will the smiles fade and the people go back into their rooms to browse the web? Back to the 9-5 job where you don't see your loved ones for at least 7 hours? Back to the routine?

We all want organic love and trust, but it will never be as easy as pulling the plug.

7 years ago in #venezuela by snoreball

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vieira 7 years ago

I can identify with what you say. I also did nothing for some time, or look at the stars, or just observe anything. It's pretty amazing how we are adapted to electricity. Of course, in Venezuela there are frequent blackouts (once or twice a month where I live), although they never last as long.

In a certain way, moments of crisis are hated by all, but in the long run, they unite people more, and bring new perspectives. That's true every time. I don't think either that life is better without electricity, that would be quite reductionist, but if it does us good to be aware of how dependent we are becoming of it.

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erh.germany 7 years ago

HaHa! I just have to laugh about a scenario that just happened inside me because of your exchanges. I was thinking that those who have sovereignty over electricity would deliberately turn off electricity for a few days several times a quarter. A kind of hidden higher power to create small awakening experiences for the benefit of people. Something like what just happened to you in Venezuela and happens occasionally. The moments of doing nothing and being forced to find alternatives are not the worst. A system that always works perfectly doesn't offer such dropouts. And basically we all succumb to the illusion that we want perfection and certainty.

In truth, we all agree when unforeseen things happen because they put us in a surprising situation - unless they bring death. The longing for surprises and challenges we are currently experiencing mainly virtually, through computer games and other technologies. Unless you live in a country where this is not yet the case. Recently I was very surprised when I spoke to a Syrian woman who told me that the concept of bank transfers is not applied in her country, even in Damascus (as she said). People go there and pay their water and electricity bills in cash to the authorities. Since they also receive their wages in cash. At least at the level of the less affluent, this is how it is handled.

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vieira 7 years ago (edited)

The moments without electricity can be very enlightening, I believe that being totally free to do anything can mean the development of very deep thoughts, and very good insights.

I think the only system that works perfectly is the world, and it does offer such dropouts. I also believe that the illusion is to want perfection and certainty, when in fact, we already have it, we only need to observe well around us and give an account of the why of each thing, because everything has a reason, a good reason, even if we don't understand it.

I'm really tired now, I just connect for a moment, tomorrow I'll answer your other comments in deep and I will review your blog. See ya.

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