The nightmare life without fuel

By Isaac Asimov

Theme: What will life be like when fuel has almost run out? This essay was written in1997 and the scene is “1997”. In other words, the scene is 20 years in the future. If the essay is read in 1999, then you can change 1997 to 2019.

Summery

#setting the scene

The scene is the United States of America in the future, at a time when fuel is running out. People no longer drive cars, but ride bicycles instead, and old buildings are being torn down so their mater can be reused.

#the advantage of having enough fuel

There are advantages to the fuel shortage. The air is cleamer, fewer people have colds, there is less crime, and people have learnt to live without facilities such as electric lights, indoor heating and showers with water.

#the problem caused by the shortage of fuel

People who live in suburbs, at the edge of large cities, have many problems. They live a long distance from shops and find it difficult to buy and store enough food. Because energy must be saved, only the rail roads and underground subway trains are allowed to run. There are no hearers, no lights at night and most seriously, there is a shortage of food.

#the situation outside the USA is even worse

Outside America, the situation is even worse because of the growth in the world’s population. Many people are starting, and many others are brain-damaged because they don’t have enough to eat. Some travellers claim that these brain-damaged people are being secretly killed.

#some other effects of the fuel shortage

There are no armies except in America and Russia, and even these armies cannot move their planes and tank. In workplaces, machines have been replaced by the muscles of humans and animals. There is less television watching, fewer books are printed and people have less leisure time. The world has returned to like a time before 1800 before industrialization took place.

#If only we had acted earlier

The final fear graph says, “If only we had starred 20 years ago to save fuel, then the fuel shortage could have been avoided.” Another is really telling to start saying fuel today if we don’t want to run out it in the near future.