[ireleda]

This isn’t really a Science question, more of a technical one.


Let’s say, for science-fiction purposes, everyone who’s been exposed to digital text, woke up tomorrow, unable to read.



What would happen if within 48 hours – no literate person could read? And could not re-learn to read.

What would happen to society? To the power supply, to communication, to your food and water supply? What would you do? What would the guy with his finger on the button at NORAD do?

How long would a coal-fired power station run if no one could read? What would the global news network do without text? Radio? The Internet? Hamburger distribution?


Rhetorical question? I'm writing the story of Babel, and I'm not sure what the first riot would be about.