It is instructive to learn that the colonization of the Phoenix area and other desert urban centers coincided with the establishment of railroads, the shipments of ice and chilled products on those railroads, and of course huge waves came with the popularity of the chiller and air conditioning systems.

Of course, the indigeneous tribes and early explorers/homesteaders made a living here without those machines. I've heard tell of various methods for coping with the blistering heat, and if my A/C ever breaks in here, may try 'em out, but that's "surviving" rather than living, IMHO.