“A direct hit from a major solar storm can cause the exact same thing.”
Not true. Your electronics will be unharmed from solar storm effects.
As for a nuclear emp, we know it will destroy some electronics. The grid will go down. How long it will stay down is unknown. We have no idea what the civil infrastructure impact will be.
This is an important topic. Emphasis should be placed on figuring out what will be destroyed and what will not. Hysteria about 90% mortality and 1800s life is just that.
Utilities are starting to stir on this topic....late, better than never.
What happens when EBT cards and Social Security transfers stop flowing; when traffic lights and the neighborhood power grids cease to function; when TV, radio and the Internet are no longer occupying the brains of the masses; when hospitals have only generator power to function, and people are dragging their sick/injured relatives and gang members to the ER; when gangs realize there is zero citizen potential to call for the police in order to stop raids, etc?
I do agree that EMP is no the 800 lbs gorilla it is made out to be but more like the 500 lbs one. Yes, it might not take out your car, transistor radio, home generator and even your computer but the downside is it will affect the grid and we have so many people depended on that, that is the true problem we have. As an individual, you could ride it out with preparation and enough gas/diesel or perhaps solar/wind, but the key here is society itself. Just think if the system goes down ,the EBT cards will not work and it will be Katy bar the door.