The Iberian Blackout

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The Iberian Blackout, why some old, reliable things are irreplaceable or the absolute mental darkness in this part of the world: Although slightly worried about wasting the batteries, I was about to fall asleep listening to the radio (there are insomnias of mine, I confess, that only podcasts with automated algorithm selection can soothe nowadays), when the lights and the internet coming back woke me up completely and here I am resuming sleeplessness.

It’s understandable that people fear the dark and panic in the lack of information or ability to connect with the world. I do however doubt that these are the main reasons in most Portuguese villages and cities to race in masses to the supermarkets and get all food, water, batteries, flashlights and gas cookers that money can buy. I know that in my tiny street, tinier than a tiny little village, one of my nice neighbors stopped by to ask if we had a generator to charge his phone and if we needed something, while driving to the shop to get some water and a couple of cans; my freakish neighbor, on the other hand, couldn’t be bothered with the news. She has friends over, eats mainly canned food and has bought wood to burn for months. He was worried about his surgery finally scheduled for two days from now, I was worried about my mother in law, who lives hundreds of kilometers away and has a very fragile memory. We talked about the people in the hospitals. My partner was worried about having to drive to work and back and still needing to have enough gas to drive to his mother if needed. Some of his guests at the four stars hotel where everything was provided were worrying about not being able to charge their high-end electric cars, two other ladies packed some water and bread from the buffet and ordered “Kriegsfutter” only, which is apparently a German way to say war ration. They are around 70 years old and do have a good memory.

When did we become so pathetic that we cannot learn with a pandemic and have some water and canned food saved for emergencies? Were we not just advised after a minor earthquake here to specifically have some batteries, flashlights and a simple first aid kit? When did taking CARE of ourselves and our neighbors become that hard? And how did we become so obnoxiously unable to not use the phone for some hours? Is it that much to think about having some fucking camping gas cooker and candles at home in case there is a minor misfortune for some hours or even days? I obviously blame neo-liberalism, exarcebated individualism, way too late wild capitalism, whatever we want to call it, it is an unbearable Anthropocene already. I wanted out and I kind of almost felt out this time, if it wasn’t for all those that I care about - and I do not mean the ones I love, but also the millions of humans, animals and plants without a choice. 

It was a little more than 12 hours with no electricity here. Barbarism without any essentials in Palestina for one year and a half. I can’t help but to feel disgusted by most people’s oblivion to their privilege.