13 May 2020
Thirty Years Ago
I was just thinking what lockdown would have been like if this virus had hit us, say, thirty years ago.
It would have been almost impossible to have worked from home as there were no home computers or mobile phones. No internet, no Amazon and on-line shopping, e-mail, Skype or Zoom. No Netflix or multi TV channels, (the video hire shops would have been shut). No social media. No Kindles and all libraries would have been closed. No blogging!
Now that would have been tough.
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I don't know whether North Korea are in lockdown but it sounds like North Korean everyday life to me.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteNot meaning to state the obvious, but what we have never had we never miss so lockdown 30 years ago would have been ok and taken within the remit of what we had then, telephones, tv, radio, music, home video cameras, computer games - Sinclair Z81s were around before 1990, reading, writing, making things, cooking, and survival. I know I often get into trouble for stating the obvious, but it is a fact that we would have easily survived with what we had. We wouldn't have been starving like the siege of Leningrad for instance that went on for nearly 4 years.
DeleteI know we would have all coped fine. I was just thinking how very different the situation would have been and how some of us take modern technology for granted.
DeleteSo true, how would we have survived or coped with the isolation?
ReplyDeleteIt would have been very much harder without today's technology.
DeleteIn 1918/19, when the Spanish Flu killed up to 50 Million, I imagine that most people didn't know of its existence, and therefore took no precautions. How's Lincs for virus?
ReplyDeleteNorth Lincs has reported 450 cases and 85 deaths but nothing in our village as far as we know. I think almost all of the fatalities have been aged over 80 and with underlying health conditions.
DeleteI would have had 3 boys at home to cope with.....aged 12, 10 and 3....... !! Aargh!
ReplyDeleteTwo young daughters and feeling guilty about staying at home.
DeleteGardens pristine, windows sparkling, rugs shaken, knitting on the go. There was life before technology - some of us can remember it, although I've never shaken a rug in my life.
ReplyDeleteWe would have coped back then but it would have been a very different scenario.
DeleteAre you trying to make us feel lucky? If so then you have succeeded.
ReplyDeleteThere is still a lot to be grateful for.
DeleteWe wouldn't have been used to a life with all the modern advances we rely upon so much today. I'm sure that the majority of us would have coped fine, and taken it all in our stride.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the virus would not have become a pandemic, either. In those days no-one flew in and out of China the way they do today, so the virus would have remained local, and we may never even of heard about it.
Widespread air travel and cruise ships certainly made it easier for the virus to spread.
DeleteSo true. I was amazed at the number of Chinese tourists when we went on holiday to Iceland (the country - not the store!) a few years ago.
DeleteThoughtful reflection Sue but at least we would have been thirty years younger - Paul in his teddy boy suit and you with your beehive hairstyle singing songs by Helen Shapiro.
ReplyDeleteI think the 1960's was a tad more than thirty years ago! More likely to have been a teddy bear suit.
DeleteWe're having it easy really.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so hard if you are able to stay safe at home.
DeleteWhat would we do without all those distractions and ways to keep our minds engaged. But I have enjoyed going back to sending cards though, much nicer than emails.
ReplyDeleteI just think internet technology has helped everyone quite a lot during lockdown. It would have been harder to keep in touch 30 years ago.
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