The World With Out Us : Summary

1. TheWorldWithOutUs: Summary IvánDarío Jiménez Subsections 1 and 2

2. A Lingering Scent of Eden • Weisman introduces his book by describing the story a single forest in Europe that survived centuries of wars and political changes. Still, upon the arrival of democracy, that sanctuary preserved by monarchs and dictators alike has begun to wane for its boundaries grow ever smaller. Although largely untouched, a single human landmark remains, a remnant of the iron curtain: a fence that has divided the forest’s fauna in two and risks causing its extinction. Despite the desperate attempts by conservationists to maintain it, governments, in need of its resources, continue to cut its wealth. Even, as the rural Europe moves to city and the forest reclaims those farmlands, that reservoir of European biodiversity continues to shrink.

3. Unbuilding Our home • Then, the author takes us to a more familiar environment: a suburban home. We soon realize that a place so recently claim from nature will be one of the first to return to it after we are gone. The inevitable decay of wood, metal and all the components of a home are revealed by the day to day repairs we must do in. Weisman shows how the leaks, molds and cracks would eventually demolish the house except for a few materials that will be buried in as the layers of biological matter burry it.

4. The City Without Us • Most reasonable people would agree that New York, the epitome of metropolis, will be the most resistant to the passage of time. A landscape dominated by manmade structures with the exception of the clearly delimited central park should last for centuries of nature’s siege. Still, this assumption crumbles as the city’s weaknesses are revealed. The endless streams of water that are pumped out of it every day and the endless maintenance of its parks prove that, despite their orderly appearance, an army is required for its upkeep.

5. The City Without Us • With out us, the newest structures would crumble as their very base sinks into the flooded land. Asphalt would crack with season leaving space for nature to grow and as the centuries pass, only the oldest, more resilient buildings will survive. Those structures made before we could have exact calculations of efficiencies were indivertibly created to last but only for a millennium.

6. The Idea • Ultimately, this first quarter has a clear point: nature can easily revert the current status quo. With out us, the might of nature would reclaim our cities and greatest structures. Even if some of the forces we have set in motion like global warming and the introduction of foreign species to a different land will not stop in our absence, the once gridded landscapes will be reconquered by nature and few of our changes will remain. In the end, only lines of sediment in the soil will testify to our presence for even the most durable inventions of man, must decay and vanish under the unrelenting force of nature.

7. The African Paradox • Through out this chapter Weisman argues that humanity’s presence outside of Africa had catastrophic effects for the world’s diversity, especially, for megafauna by re-enacting humanity’s voyage through out the world. Africa is the only continent that preserved its mammals because these evolved alongside humans. With out us, the diminishing African species would reconquer their lost territories, restore the lost fauna and even make a replacement for us. Weisman complicates matters further when he asks: “would curiosity and sheer narcissistic delight in their unfolding powers eventually push them (our replacement) and their planet to the brink too?”(87) In other words, he argues against humanity’s unnatural actions throughout history by emphasizing the irresponsible use of our great powers.

8. What FallsApart and What Lasts • In this section Weisman corroborates his claims by showing an example of an urban area abandoned by man. Cyprus, a small Island in the Mediterranean underwent a dramatic conflict that resulted in an abandoned Varosha. This city used to showcase many buildings and tourist attractions that nature consumed in a matter of decades leaving only its decadent remains. In juxtaposition, the underground city of Derinkuyu will preserve the testimonies of humanity’s existence . To support this, Weisman states, “when we are long gone, it is the underground cities built for protection that will defend humanity’s memory.”(111) The author’s point is that although our modern architecture seems long-lasting, these ancient and natural structures will outlast even humanity’s most monumental cities.

9. The World Without Farms In this chapter, Weisman illustrates the complex relationship between the land and industrialization. Specifically, he emphasizes the industrialization of agriculture through the use of chemicals like nitrates and chalk. Ultimately, he classifies these actions as unnatural by saying that even the best fertilizers cannot compare to manure. Evidently, plants can use organic waste more efficiently than other fertilizers because it has evolved to use it. By focusing solely on the negative effects of artificial fertilizers and the virtues of manure, Wiesman overlooks the underlying need for nitrates. These products can be manufactured easily and allow farmers to use their land more intensively. Therefore, they increase food production per square unit of land despite slight decrease in crop quality. Due to our increasing population and the evermore scarce farmland, using this land with greater efficiency should be our greatest priority. On the other hand, Weisman talks about the dangers of nitrates. Although these can be potentially harmful for children 1 of age, they have no effect on adult humans and livestock resist this type of contaminant well. Clearly, the possible gains from using these fertilizers far outweighs the possible losses.

10. The World Without War Here, Weisman depicts war as an environmentally friendly event that forces humans out of an area allowing nature to reclaim its territory. Specifically, he depicts the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. There, nature has regenerated greatly thanks to the absence of people. I think Weisman is mistaken because he overlooks the environmental damaged caused by war discarding it as minor and rare. Unfortunately, agent orange and increased oil consumption no longer constitute the greatest war-related environmental threat. Munitions and armor that use dpeleted uranium create radioactive wastelands from battlefields. Although most studies focus on human side effects it is inconceivable that such a harmful substance does not have significant environmental effect. Also, because it is not as heavily regulated compared as other radioactive compounds, its widespread use in future warfare seems plausible. Ultimately, the side effects of this metal will mark the land where they accumulate for thousands of years.

11. The Sea Cradle In this section Weisman illustrates how the oceans, the cradle of life, would regenerate after our disappearance. Specifically, he narrates how the slow decay of dams and the end of overfishing would allow diversity to return. Throughout this, Weisman emphasizes the cyclical nature of our planet's ecosystem when he states: “Eventually, we’d try that again. Our world would start over”(267). Indeed, in such a fertile world, evolution only needs time to spawn another sentient being capable of transforming its environment like we did. By focusing on the cycles that the earth shows today, Weisman overlooks the most important variable that could permanently change them: humans. He tries to separate humanity from the ecosystem but our species is an intrinsic part of it. Ultimately, his analysis is void because anything that could erase humanity from this planet permanently, should suffice to devastate its biodiversity and even its habitability. Therefore, the dream of another sentient species on this planet is impossible because it would most likely fall, like America’s mega fauna, to our technology and intellect.

12. OurEarth, OurSouls Weisman concludes his book with humbling thoughts about humanity’s place in earth. He includes the ideas of Christianity , Judaism and Islam to illustrate how religions shaped our relationship with nature. Buddhism differs itself from these because it argues for a greater unity with our surroundings and an eternal cycle where our existence is but a brief instance. Weisman concludes this thought when he states: “Withoutus, Earth will abide and endure; without her, however, we could not even be”(287). With this, he shows humanity as an insignificant species that even our fragile ecosystem will outlive. Ultimately, humanity can only claim its small share of this world because the balance that supports our existence depends on diversity. I think Weisman is mistaken when he eliminates man from his analysis of the world’s ecosystem. Certainly, his assertions are true, for nature’s resilience prevails. Still, he fails to grasp the essence of today’s ecological problematic. Ultimately, people caused extensive damage to the environment through significant changes we can reverse. Therefore, Wiesman should demonstrate our responsibility by emphasizing our great transformation powers rather than showcasing humanity’s helplessness. If we can heat a planet, obstruct rivers and raise islands, ensuring the stability of our ecosystem must be possible.