To imagine a world without technology, is to imagine a world without electricity, digital devices, sophisticated machines like cars e.t.c I would have based my discussion on the assumption of what I think will happen to me in a world without technology but since I recently lived in a place similar to what I'm about to discuss, I would base my narrative on that.
The survival instinct of humans is powerful but it easier to imagine things without experience to back it up, a person would never know how hot hell is till you have a taste of it.
I served in a strange community that is like no other, it was a community in oyo state. I lived there for a year undergoing my NYSC service which was a bitter sweet experience. The first day I arrived there from camp, seeing how peaceful everywhere was, I was glad to finally have a break from the noise in the city, little did I know I will be facing challenges that I never anticipated.
On my first day there, there was electricity and I was glad that at least, among lot of things that the community lacks, electricity is not one of them. Plugged in my power bank and decided to make use of my phone in the process. One of the corp member that has been residing in this community long before I came walked into my room, saw me making use of my phone and couldn't stop staring at me in a strange way. At some point I felt the need to ask him for the reason behind his strange gaze and he began to laugh so loud that I felt really stupid for asking. I kept thinking what could I have done to warrant such an unpleasant gesture from him.
Along the line he must have noticed I was displeased with his reaction, he stopped laughing and said, do you know how long it has been since we last saw electricity in this community? but then here you are making use of your phone while there is electricity, I guess that moment I got the full gist. It turns out that anytime people in this community are opportune to have electricity, they quickly charge all their devices because they don't know when next they will be privileged to have electricity again.
There was no hospital, no shopping mall or mini Mart, no restaurant, no pharmacy, no well established local market, no pipe borne water, no toilet. Living in a community like this made me understood how our ancestors lived. For people in this community, this is normal because they know nothing of the existence of the things we enjoy in the city, they are satisfied with their way of life. But for someone like me, who had tasted what it feels like to have access to technology, it took every strength I had to prevent myself for not falling into depression.
The first few months were the hardest but over time I started adapting, and the pain from the struggle became manageable. You see to live without technology - without having lived with technology before is easy but to live without technology after having a taste of it, it is almost unbearable.
Truly, I prefer a simple life and I also love rural setting but the not the one without any technology. I prefer a semi-urban area, a mix of the both. Even as worst as the community was, I still had access to my phone, laptop, power bank and other stuff. To imagine Living without any of this too, I don't think I will last a day.
This write-up was inspired by week 62 episode 1 - SciFi multiverse prompt titled "Life without technology" in SciFi multiverse community.
All pictures are mine
