The Baltimore Accident and Other 'Supply Chain Crises' That Keep Not Happening

Bridge, resulting in the bridge's collapse and the tragic death of six people working on it. Given the stunning visuals and the unfortunate loss of life, the incident understandably captivated the nation for days. But it also spawned a litany of hand- wringing about widespread damage to our supposedly brittle, globalized economy. The day after the accident, for example, the New York Times' Peter Goodman proclaimed that the "wayward container ship" yet again "shows world trade's fragility"--and thus serves as a highly visible example of "the pitfalls of relying on factories across oceans to supply everyday items like clothing and critical wares like medical devices." His NYT colleague Paul Krugman was less hysterical but nevertheless wrote a week later that, "Supply chains are making me nervous again" and warned of broader economic harm. The Washington Post dinged the accident as a result and symbol of "rampant globalization" and openly worried about these disruptions causing "big problems" economically. These outlets certainly weren't alone in their worry. And social media, as you can imagine, went even further.