When things get bad...

Read Byzantine history.
No matter how apocalyptic your idea of what is going on in the world right now is, Byzantine history will likely beat it all hollow.
Actually, I didn't *read* Byzantine history, I listened to a lectures-on-CD version.

Having this sort of thing in the back of your head as a references for what "Slow Grind" and "Fast Crash" apocalyptic failure-of-civilization scenarios really are like is very handy.

Random folkloreage

"Halvor... Halllvooorrr... Do you Still Have Your KITTY?"
"Why yes I do, and what is more, she has two fine kittens, twice as big as she is herself..."