Uh, I’m not wishing for any such thing.
As for being “out fixing the infrastructure to get society running again” - I’m all for that, but how’s that going to happen when gas and diesel pumps at the stations don’t work because of lack of electricity, refineries don’t work, food can’t be delivered, tens of thousands dependent upon electricity to survive in hospitals and at home die, etc., etc.? In short, there will be such chaos that nothing of substance will get done - and if we have to replace the ultra-large step-down transformers (that are generally custom-made and have a 2-year lead time...and are made overseas), then nothing CAN get done.
You see what happens at a Walmart on Black Friday - people literally get trampled to death to save $10 or $50 on the latest toy or TV. What do you think is going to happen when the electricity fails, and people’s refrigerators and freezers die, and they can’t get water (because the water companies DON’T have fuel for more than a few hours of backup generation)? People will go batsh!t crazy to get food and water, and cooperation of any kind is going to be few and between. You also saw law enforcement run away in the face of a mere hurricane (Katrina) - what’re they going to do when the EBT cards don’t work, when they can’t call their momma in the next town or state, their kids are in school, etc. They’re going to disappear, just like in Katrina.
“how’s that going to happen...”
People. That’s what they do, solve problems. As long the people are alive, the problems will get solved. Assuming one setback, no matter how big, is going to send the human race on some extinction spiral is just foolish.