Hmm... the smaller the scale, the more realistic apocalyptic scenarios are. I'm skeptical of "all human civilization will end", but countries, sure. Cities, double sure. Neighborhoods, you can practically plan around their death/life cycles.
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I would actually think cities have a longer lifespan than nations, due to their concentrated value. Cities in Eastern Europe have changed hands several times since the era of the Renaissance, and the Dark Ages was a mess.
