To be honest, and no offence, but I feel sorry for people with your kind of fatalistic outlook on the future.
I have a portfolio of ISA funds I have been investing in, 100% equity funds, since 1998 and over the 22 year period, which included recessions, Asian crisis of 1998, financial crisis of 2008-9 and the current COVID crisis. The annualised return, after management fees is 9.2%. So, definitely above inflation. And I only traded a few of these funds per year.
You need to diversify across geographies and sectors.
Cheer up! The universe is continually expanding, so is human progress, innovation and the ability of businesses to generate value.
I would go for Green Growth, including EVs and batteries, MedTech, still most Tech, Asia, Consumer and Transport recovery.