What happens when systems fail?

Question

I read a book in the sixties which postulated, if I remember correctly, that if two major systems broke down at the same time, civilization might fall.
Systems: Power supply, communications, water supply, transportation, and so on.

Answer 1

I've read some on those topics, and all I can say is they are mostly more pessimistic than I believe reality will be. When a system fails or is destroyed, historically, a new system or authority order rises to take its place relatively soon.

Answer 2

I do not think they can all fail at the same time nor even two in a given country at the same time. Example: First Gulf War Iraq!s infrastructure was ruined. Iraq did not "collapse" nor the whole world would. Civilization took along time to develop and is still developing. For it to go down will also take time. But there is one major point of concern when it comes to the communication sector. If a country like America or a region like Europe that depends heavily on communication lines i.e. mobile, land line, Internet, satellite links etc. There is a bomb that is being developed in the US which is somehow called a E-Bomb which when explodes discharges a electrostatic wave upon an area. This heavy charge will not be an explosion that is conventional but rather no light, no real big sound, smell or any other "sidefects". It can damage mobile phones, radars, PC & TV, internet, land lines, power lines. Virtually all types of electronical devices are affected by it! Can you imagine, planes in the air will loose communication at once, power lines will not work, banks can forget all transactions, stock market will suddenly close down, people in elevators stuck. The examples can go and on. I hope they never manage to make such a bomb. I discovered a documentary clip sometime ago on the internet and watched it. I can't remember what the bomb is called E-bomb, electron bomb maybe. Something with that name.

Answer 3

I think we'd be doomed! Hope it doen't happen anytime soon!