Modern transportation. Planes, trains and automobiles. My siblings and children are spreadout from Alaska to Alabama, still other relatives live across the pond. To be separated by that much space and distance knowing that I might never see or hear from them again would be the most depressing aspect of such a scenario. Other than I would get along fine. Born in the fifties I would willing go back to those times even though technology fills my life (I'm a geek thru and thru) and makes my livelihood. Heck, if the Amish can live without modern technology I guess I could too.

The most dramatic part of a good western, for me, is when someone leaves for a far off place with the certain knowledge he would never be back. Gets me everytime...