What would people all over the world do and how would they manage if The Big One strikes, plunging the Earth into communicative and connected darkness. And, the even bigger question, how would people manage to carry on with their daily and long-term lives during a lengthy blackout? Today’s generations are ill-equipped/prepared to survive. (I always note, with approval, tv commercials for survival skills in the woods.)
Many have speculated about cosmic apocalypses (for instance, a massive solar flare caused a blackout in China today), financial apocalypses (the stock market had a big drop again today; 1/4 of Canadians will have to sell their homes if interest rates and inflation keep rising), natural resource shortage apocalypses (gas, baby food, paper products, other staples), ecological apocalypses (Calgary has just declared a state of emergency for June flooding all over again).
But The Big One no one ever talks about is a digital network apocalypse (affecting everything since our lives have been transferred to continuous virtual online-ness). The final image of the poem is shamelessly borrowed from a Superman movie in which the evil trio are cast into space within a mirror screaming their protests. Yeah, I can easily foresee people of the world reacting in such a crazy, desperate way when someone inadvertently or, more likely, deliberately kicks out the plug.