Here's an interesting talk regarding how to counter the collapse of our interconnected world:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtMfxbxuuwY The speaker is a PhD who has done considerable research regarding cascading failures related to technology, i.e., power and internet outages. The cascading failure theory goes back to the 1970's, when Reberto Vacca wrote a non-fiction book titled, "The Coming Dark Age". Vacca's book is somewhat dry reading material
https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Dark-Age-Roberto-Vacca/dp/0385063407, but he does a good job outlining his cascading failure theory and gives a practical example of how a cascade failure could occur. As Robert Heinlein has mentioned, "Specialization is for insects". Today, too many people have limited their practical knowledge to a narrow field. So, if a cascade failure occurs, and the needed personnel and knowledge are not available, then it could be a very long time before the failure is rectified.
Again tying this theory with specialization, with the current just in time delivery system which is used to fill inventory in most large stores, what happens if the delivery is interrupted? Our victim, Joe, goes down to his local Walmarts to go grocery shopping. He arrives at the store, and finds the shelves are bare. The store manager has no idea when or if the next delivery will occur. So how is Joe going to feed himself? Does he know how to grow his own food? Does he know how to preserve his own food? Does he have the equipment necessary to grown and preserve his food? If not, does he know how to fabricate the needed tools? Temporarily, he may obtain food from the Government, but what happens when their food stocks are depleted? In the long run, specialization could kill off civilization.
