Fear Of Terrorism Gives Way To Fear Of Relating To Other People.
U.S. - Millions of Americans were traumatized today as a massive power outage struck several major Eastern cities, instantly deactivating televisions, computers, stereos, and other devices Americans normally use to avoid the difficult, uncomfortable experience of interpersonal communication.
"An event like this can instill people with paralyzing terror," says psychologist Sherman Pinter. "First, there is the fear of darkness. Second, there is fear of the unknown. Third, and worst of all, is the fear of that person you've been sleeping with for the last twenty years."
Deprived of their usual electronic distractions, Americans in cities such as New York, Detroit and Cleveland were faced with the daunting prospect of conversation. "In a situation like this, you're thrust into a highly abnormal dynamic," Pinter says. "Once you get past the usual questions like, 'what happened' and 'where are the candles,' there's really not much to talk about. If you're not careful, you may be forced to discuss how your day went, or how you're feeling, something that is totally alien to the typical American family."
To make matters worse, even in a total power blackout, communication by telephone is usually still possible. This means that many feel obligated to call family members or loved ones to make sure they're safe. This, experts say, adds a great deal of stress, as people are forced to feign genuine concern for people they can't fucking stand.
The electrical outage caused other slight inconveniences, cutting off power to life-saving medical devices and trapping thousands of people in elevators and subway cars.
Even worse, however, is the psychological toll taken on millions of Americans no longer able to easily ignore the other human beings around them. New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose city was almost completely darkened by the blackout, urged New Yorkers to seek alternatives to talking to each other, such as sleeping, eating or listening to battery-powered CD players.
Unfortunately, the Mayor was unable to deliver this message through the usual means of television and radio, so he was forced to walk the streets of the city with a bullhorn, giving advice and comfort to New York's petrified residents. "This is exhausting and terrifying, and I can't even be sure if I'm doing any good," Bloomberg said as he patrolled the city. "Still, I'm going to keep at it. The alternative is to go home to my wife."
