Remember when stuff was built to last? My grandpa's old truck still runs because you could fix it with parts from any junkyard. Now everything needs a special glass color or a custom sensor. They make things so specific that the whole system falls apart if one tiny piece is late. It's not just supply chains, it's that we design things to be impossible to fix or replace.
Ever notice how everything runs on just-in-time supply now? Like if one basic part is late, the whole project dies. My neighbor's car sat for three weeks waiting for a single sensor. Restaurants change menus because they can't get one sauce. Feels like the whole system is balanced on a toothpick.
Yeah my friend's bakery almost went under last year because their cardamom shipment got stuck at a port. They had to change three of their best selling recipes overnight, and regulars stopped coming because "it didn't taste right." Took them six months to get the supply steady again, but they lost a bunch of business for good. It's crazy how one little spice can show you the whole chain is just barely holding together.