I was walking amongst the lights, late at night, and thought about the way our lives are shaped by electrical lighting. We are rarely ever away from light, electrical or natural. Have you ever been in complete darkness? I mean real darkeness. The type where you can’t see your hand, in front of your face. I once had this experience when I went into an old slate mine, in Mid-Wales. This was an incredible moment, sitting there after turning off your head torch felt uncanny. It also gives you an appreciation for how Victorian miners managed, knowing that they only had a small lamp in hand.
So, my thoughts were about life without light. How would our lives be different? Much of the way we live would change. Society would likely split into two separate types. There would be night-dwellers and day folk. Each keeping to their time zones. I imagine a race of mole-like individuals, that move underground, altogther (insert thinky emoji, here!) Think of the impact:
Negatives:
- Danger would be closer, at all times
- You would get lost, much easier
- Doing simple chores would be difficult
Positives:
- Better sleep patterns
- A natural way of living
- Beautiful starry skies
They might be a bit mundane, but the overall idea has its merits. We have become accustomed to seeing at all hours. Even smoke detectors have blinking lights, so the chance of it ever happening, is slim. It’s still an interesting premise.
