The World With Out Us:
Summary
Iván Darío Jiménez
Subsections 1 and 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What Falls Apart 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.
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.
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.
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.
Our Earth, Our Souls
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: “Without us, 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.