The concept of “City” is a unique literary construction, weaving together nine distinct short stories into a cohesive narrative that explores the evolution of civilization, the future of humanity, and the unexpected rise of canine intelligence. Originally published separately, these tales are linked by a series of “notes” that frame them as mythological heritage from the perspective of a future Dog civilization, who even entertain the notion that humankind might be a mere legend. This collection, written by Clifford D. Simak, offers a thought-provoking, albeit sometimes flawed, vision of the future, particularly in its reimagining of urban life and societal structures.
The Decline of the City and the Rise of the Estate
In “City,” Simak presents a future starkly contrasting with contemporary projections. While the United Nations anticipates continued urbanization, Simak’s 1980s vision depicts the opposite. The advent of atomic energy, ubiquitous personal aircraft, and advanced hydroponics has rendered cities obsolete. Humanity has dispersed, retreating to expansive country estates, a move that has surprisingly ushered in an era of global peace by eliminating major targets for conflict. However, this radical shift is not without its challenges, hinting at a subtly totalitarian undercurrent in the new social order.
Two Centuries On: Agoraphobia and Martian Contact
“Huddling Place,” set two hundred years after the initial societal transformation, finds humanity still entrenched in its rural existence. Relations with Martian civilization are peaceful and established. Yet, a new and peculiar malady has emerged: with robots handling all labor and virtual access mirroring the internet, people have lost the need for physical interaction and developed extreme agoraphobia, rarely venturing outside their estates.
The Census Taker and the Dawn of Talking Dogs
“Census,” a story that gains significant depth within the context of the entire collection, introduces a census taker visiting the old estates. Generations have passed, and the government seeks reports of anomalous events. The census taker discovers remarkable advancements: a scientific tinkerer has successfully created talking dogs, and a mysterious, ageless mountain man is known to appear, offer assistance, and vanish without a trace.
Desertion on Jupiter: A Perilous Transposition Experiment
“Desertion” stands out as a particularly compelling narrative. On Jupiter, an experimental program aims to transpose human consciousness into the bodies of native fauna, enabling exploration of the planet’s hostile environment. While the procedure appears successful, a disturbing trend emerges: the first four test subjects who ventured into the Jovian wilderness have not returned, forcing the program’s director to reconsider his approach.
Paradise and the Human Identity: A Thousand Years Later
A millennium after the events of “City,” “Paradise” explores a complex future. It integrates elements from previous stories, including socially detached mutants, an incomplete Martian philosophy potentially finished by these mutants, intelligent robots, and the evolving canine population. The central theme revolves around the potential for a “Paradise” on Jupiter, a prospect that may require a fundamental sacrifice of human identity.
The Rise of Canine Society and Human Diversions
In “Hobbies,” the dogs have begun to form their own sophisticated society. The majority of humanity has embraced a form of technological transcendence on Jupiter, while the few thousand humans remaining on Earth have largely retreated into virtual realities, their hibernation planned for centuries. Those who remain awake fill their time with non-essential hobbies. While perhaps a bit lengthy, this segment offers prescient ideas about future human preoccupations.
Aesop’s New World: Canine Ascendancy and the Quest for Parallel Universes
“Aesop” depicts a world a thousand years in the future where dogs, now the dominant species, have established a peaceful, non-violent society. They have “uplifted” other animals to intelligence, creating a world where predator and prey coexist. However, this idyllic facade shows cracks as underlying animalistic natures resurface. The resulting overpopulation, stemming from the absence of natural population controls, leads to the discovery of parallel worlds as a potential solution.
The Trouble with Ants: A Robot’s Moral Dilemma
“The Simple Way” (also known as “The Trouble with Ants”) delves into a critical issue faced by the dominant dog civilization: the rapidly expanding ant civilization. Originally “uplifted” by a mutant, the ants’ opaque thought processes raise concerns about their future intentions for the planet. The fate of Earth may ultimately hinge on a moral choice, entrusted once again to a robot—a recurring, though largely unexamined, trope in this cycle of stories.
Epilogue: Jenkins the Robot’s Final Decision
Written over twenty years after the original “City” stories, “Epilog” offers a final perspective. Lacking the fictional “notes” of its predecessors, it presents a serious epilogue. Jenkins, the robot who has been a constant presence throughout the narrative, faces the decision of whether to conclude his long service as another civilization reaches its end. This concluding piece shares a somber resonance with Simak’s “All the Traps of Earth.”
“City” offers a compelling, if sometimes uneven, exploration of humanity’s future, questioning the very definition of civilization and consciousness. The narrative power lies in its gradual unfolding, revealing Simak’s unique blend of philosophical inquiry and imaginative speculation through the evolving perspectives of both humans and their canine successors.