That's the big lie, "society" doesn't have to collapse, it already has.

From what I remember of Atlas Shrugged I some times feel that's the timeline we're in. Infrastructure's falling apart, shortages of this or that thing cropping up in the news every now and again. Granted, generally the store shelves are still stocked up but we know the stories we read of X food plant burning or Y logistics pileup take months before they hit us small folk.

I was attending my one Thursday class yesterday and it's being taught by a tax lawyer. The things (Imp forgive me) she was saying involving her dealings with the IRS, how it's years behind on processing things, how it took ages to even deposit a really really freaking huge check... Hearing her regale us with her dealings with the Federal government made me feel like some bureaucrat in a remote Roman province.

"Yes, we lost the May payroll, Goths again."

"We've lost contact with Londinium. I'm sure they're ok but we've not received any letters from them in some time."

"We've been waiting on the Dux's word before we acted but by the time he was able to send a messenger it was already months after the fact."

The metaphorical trains aren't just running late, we're lucky if they even make it to the station.