If society as a whole went back in time...
 

Well if I woke up and the world were like that for some reason, I'd be pretty freaked out. But I think that I would be able to live with the fact that there is no electricity. It would be awesome to go back to the older times of how things used to be. How hard life might of been. The simplicities of today would be nonexistent. I'm already used to doing tons of back breaking yard work, and I've gone a couple days without electricity and plumbing for a few days (we had issues with our power months ago. Not to mention I've been out camping in the great outdoors). I think the one thing that I would hate about that is - I'm an uber clean person, and hate dirt, and being dirty myself.

Not to mention that back then, people weren't exactly into personal hygiene, and didn't shower regularly, and all that. But living next to the hot springs would be really nice. I've only been inside of one once :3

But out where I live, there is only a lake, which is pretty damn dirty. And that would pretty much be the only place to get water. And I live in a desert in the middle of no where. And you can get pretty dirty out here.

And if you are going back in time, you are adapting all the old rules of the world. Which wouldn't be as nice either. Woman being forced to do house work all day long. Slaves having to work in fields. Things like that. But it all depends on how far back you actually go.

I'd freak out. I would hate it.
I don't understand how people say they can just drop everything and "live" with nature.
Nature sucks. So much. Shelter is so hard to build and farm work is so hard, especially clearing fields (never ever do this), chopping down trees, trying to grow your own shitty crops in terrible soil, etc... God, I would hate it so much. Plus, since it's 100 years ago, there are no paved roads, the only book available to the masses is the bible, music only means hymns, everyone is overworked, everything is done by candlelight and any task we find easy now was meticulous and ridiculous!
I'm far away from my neighbors now, I can't imagine having a 4 mile stretch between us.
No access to any information besides gossip and crackling radio, no real education at all! Plus moving means moving everything by yourself, with your own two hands, to a destination that you have to take months to get to.

I don't even know how you'd want that!

I don't think I could cope. I'm used to all of my creature comforts. I very strongly believe that I was born in the correct time period, because even camping is something that I can't stand to do. The idea of being surrounded by bugs, not being able to bathe regularly, being deprived of so much as listening to my music makes me want to cry. I'm not a nature girl -- never have been, never will be. And so help me God, if the makeup companies shut down and I couldn't get my hands on some eyeliner, many many people would be suffering at my hands.

If we had to use things the old way I would survive. I know basic survival skills and what plants are safe and not safe. Years of watching National Geographic and reading science magazines paid off. xD:yes:

I think that the quality of products will go up, dramatically.
Because everything is hand made and with lots of love. But getting somewhere would be a pain in the butt. Since a horse isn't really fast transportation, maybe for a small distance, but certainly not longer than 20km.
But I personally think it would be for the better for the relationship with your neighbours and so on.

But honestly, a lot of people will die. No one nowadays is used to such things and have you seen the cellphone, internet and other technical addicted people? They would certainly freak out and jump off a cliff or a building.
I'd go paranoia without the internet but if I were given a few years to slowly adjust, I might get used to it. I own a horse and I'm not scared of the big outdoors.

For some people at least, this assertion is made due to the unsustainable nature of large scale societies.

I am not entirely sure what you mean by that assertion that the bible was the only widely available book. Just to clarify, you are aware that 100 years ago was just 1910, right? Anthropological work was already being released at that stage. For instance American Anthropologist started getting published in 1888. While you could argue that this was not a book per say, that it was reviewing books right from the start demonstrates that books other than the bible existed. This is only going into Anthropology, there has been literature from other fields for much longer!

I would have to do some serious adjusting D: No electricity!? Life would seem much slower, and I'd have to work harder for everything. I'd probably get a lot stronger! But sheesh, it would take forever to get something I need. I'd have to craft my own backpack...? Can't imagine having to make EVERYTHING from scratch. Not too excited at the idea of the 'Ye Olde Trading Centre' 4-10 miles away on foot either.

I don't think I'd like it. I love modern conveniences. Don't get me wrong, I like the big rugged outdoors too, but I need a balance. But maybe without cell phones, videogames, the internet and other modern distractions, people would have to face each other more often and they'd learn some damn manners.

Twilight is already causing that -_-. I hear girls saying they want to be as submissive as Bella.

And that a lot of people have never actually just have to sustain themselves off nature, so they have ideas of flowers and ponds and lilypads, when it's more like moss, dampness, bogs, etc.

I don't really understand your point. :/ Books have been printing for centuries, but what does that mean to a rural area? How would I have been able to get access to if I was in the middle of nowhere, on a fishing boat? Erm, maybe I'm just misunderstanding you, but the printing press was invented in like 1440. You can even find medical journals printed about plastic sergery from 16th century Italy. A lot of my favorite books are 19th century and as much as I hate medeival and romantic poetry, you can't dismiss it's presents on the shelves of the intelegencia... Except, I'm not part of the intelegencia, I'm Canadian. I wouldn't have access to Goethe and Pushkin or any of the philosphophies that shape our world because that's just not how rural Canadian towns worked. Heavily religious, hard working, wonderful people who loved their bible. It was the only book a lot of people had in their houses. It was the only book you needed to connect yourself to something bigger and to the community. And that's why I don't want to live without my computer and my massive library of philosophy, history and works of dead rakes.

I feel the same way as you, Nissa! I've actually thought of this notion before. When I brought it up to my friends, they feelings were mixed. Some said they would hate it, some said they would love it, some told me to shut up because it would never happen. lol I wouldn't want to go back to the times of cave men. I think we need a little bit of minor technology. If we could go back to the 1800's that would be okay with me. I'd flat out adore it. It was such a charming time period.

That's just not true. I mean, I can't speak for Canada, but 100 years ago was not a long time, lol.

Anyway, people did not buy books in the same way as they do now, but they still understood the concept of classics in their homes. People would have a volume set of Shakespeare. They would have a copy of Don Quixote.

There were plenty of best sellers in the late 19th century. Little Women, Uncle Tom's Cabin, etc. I think you're selling your recent ancestors short. People had more reason to own books than they do now.

I don't know, I'm seeing a lot of bad history being invented by people off the tops of their heads.

That said, I would be okay going back to a more roots environment. I was really big into the back to nature/homesteading concept awhile back.

I would not like going back in time as much as I love history. I think it would be too hard to adjust to at my age, lol. Although I'm sure I would be able to handle it eventually.

Whether or not a lot of people perceive and understand it in such a manner is inconsequential to the point I was making. I was even careful enough to specify that I was only dealing with some people. Your initial point on people wishing to return to nature only specified that you were discussing people. I was simply trying to highlight that some people do have reasoning behind their desire to "return to nature". It should also be noted that in saying this, I am not asserting that I desire to "return to nature".

You made the assertion that the bible was the only book that was readily available to the masses back then. By pointing out that it was not the only book in publication, I attempted to demonstrate that this does not have to be the case. As this thread only deals with a hypothetical example whereby we start reverting to the same technology of 1910, I thought it would be sufficient for me to demonstrate that the required technology existed back then. It is worth remembering we are not magically going back to that time, we are simply reverting back to the technology that they used back then.

I don't really know what I would think. Probably really mad. I like using electricity.

I more so meant to rural communities, especially like how it would be if my community would be 100 years ago. I wasn't necessarily talking about the whole world, though I'm not sure if I specified in my post. More so to my life, especially since this is a forum and usually one replies to a thread about one's personal situation/etc. Also, I don't know about you, but I get a lot of my books from Amazon because there is no local bookstore, or library. There's nothing. I either make the 40 minute drive into town or I don't. Technology means nothing if you have no access to said advances.

@Guivre
This leads me to my next point
Dude, I'll totally admit that there'd be a few classics on the shelf with a shit load of wear put into them, but when you don't live in a city, how do you get books? You can't, and you don't. There's one city in my province. Sure, there's a lot of people who could afford books, working high up in the company, but that's not my family and that's not where I'd be. What you have is mainly dated children's schoolbooks, readers, etc. I don't especially feel about going into the social-economic influence on trends of literature in rural areas in the Dominion of Newfoundland in the 1910s (while it sounds like a great idea for a paper), but you get my point. When you're miles away from anything, and you have been for years, where do you get it from, right? Do you get my point? @[email protected]; People in my region were dirt poor, but everyone had a bible. Also, dats american literature.
I love history
But everyone has their own history.


I kinda like this little banter. Puts me into the mood to actually write my paper and write all formally and such ~procrastinating~

Although wouldn't it depend on how rapidly we moved back to the technology of 1910? Although you certainly raise a good point in relation to your own personal circumstances. I absolutely concede that you would know that infinitely better than I do. Although in saying that, I really would hope that someone would step up and make it possible for more rural areas to still have access to reading material. As my goodness that is a depressing thought!

I find the most desirable aspect of the good ole days is less overpopulation and more nature.
So if we could have these aspects, then yes I might consider it a good thing. Otherwise, I'm happy in the modern good new days and I'd miss it.

I think I'd do okay... but the instant I lose internet thus mene I'd fall apart XD

I honestly wouldn't be able to handle it. I love electricity, I would hate loosing it D:<