Friends and Enemies

"Friends and Enemies" by Fritz Leiber is a science fiction story from the 1950s that looks at what happens when art and science clash after the world is wrecked by war. In this world, two professors, Madson, a poet who dislikes science, and Ellenby, a physicist, are kicked out of Ozona College because of their differing ideas. They then travel to New Angeles, and face dangers such as enemies and toxic areas. When an earthquake hits, it changes how they see their conflict, showing the power of nature against the dangers of technology. The story makes you think about humanity, creativity, and the part that science plays, and asks if art and science can exist together in a crazy world.