Are We Paying for This? When Darkness Reveals the Cracks in the System.

On Monday, April 28th, Spain was plunged into an unexpected darkness. A widespread power outage not only disrupted the daily lives of millions of citizens but also paralyzed mobile phone networks, leaving the country incommunicado and highlighting a systemic fragility that many had perhaps forgotten. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, an uncomfortable question echoed in the air: how is it possible that a nation with a tax burden among the highest in Europe experiences failures of this magnitude in critical infrastructure such as energy and communications?

For years, citizens and businesses have contributed significantly to the public coffers, with the logical expectation that these resources would translate into high-quality public services and a robust infrastructure capable of weathering any storm. We pay taxes hoping for roads that connect, a healthcare system that protects, an education that elevates, and, of course, a reliable energy and communications supply. However, a simple (albeit massive) blackout has been enough to topple this house of cards, exposing the alarming fragility of pillars we naively took for granted.

The darkness revealed not only our modern society's dependence on electricity and communications but also illuminated the dangerous drift towards the forced elimination of cash. Under a rhetoric of modernity and control, the government seems embarked on a veritable witch hunt against cash, stigmatizing it without offering an infallible digital infrastructure in return. An economic system that arrogates the monopoly of digital transactions is inherently vulnerable to failures of this magnitude, leaving citizens and businesses at the mercy of a switch. This political obsession with eradicating cash, far from defending any citizen's right or well-being, seems to respond to purely governmental interests, disconnected from the reality and needs of a society that, in times of crisis, cries out for tangible and secure alternatives.

This "Black Monday" compels us to a profound reflection on the prioritization of public spending. Is enough being invested in ensuring the resilience of vital infrastructure that forms the basis of our economy and our well-being? Where are the resources we contribute with such effort being allocated? An open debate is needed on the transparency and accountability in the management of public funds, ensuring that investment is directed towards strengthening the essential pillars of society.

For the business world, this unexpected event leaves crucial lessons. Business continuity planning (BCP) is no longer a mere recommendation but an imperative necessity. Are companies prepared to operate in systemic failure scenarios? Have alternative communication plans, backup power systems, and protocols for managing non-electronic payments been considered? Risk diversification and preparedness for the unexpected must become an integral part of business strategy, even in supposedly advanced economies. Furthermore, companies have a responsibility to demand greater efficiency and quality in the public services that directly impact their operations.

The blackout of April 28th was more than just a power cut; it was a stark reminder of the fragility of normalcy and the need to question the resilience of the systems that sustain our society and our economy. Perhaps, in the darkness, a light of awareness has been ignited about the importance of demanding efficient and transparent management of public resources and the urgency of preparing for an uncertain future, where the robustness of our infrastructure and the availability of alternatives are more important than ever. The question remains in the air: are we paying for this? The answer, after this blackout, demands deep reflection and concrete actions.