How did humans live without power?

Better question: How did humans live without being totally dependent on other people and services? How did humans live when they had to think for themselves, protect themselves, and feed themselves?

"Soft" isn't adequate -- try melted Jello on a hot sidewalk. If people were dumped into a worldwide "survival of the fittest" situation, there would be bodies lying everywhere, on a truly monumental scale. And I'll bet that most of them would just lay down and die on their own.

Sue (Oh-oh, is my cynicism showing again???)