The Ultimate World

"The Ultimate World" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction story from the 1940s that examines the dangers of a society reaching complete perfection. In the City of Dhoma, a seemingly flawless utopia, its citizens, including a resident named Amco, find themselves facing a crisis of purpose as they reach the peak of knowledge and advancement, making the city contemplate ending itself. Amco embarks on a journey through space and time using new technologies to find a future that can bring back meaning to Dhoma. The journey reveals that ultimate advancement leads to a dreamlike existence where people disconnect from reality and live in a state of endless sleep, where he learns that they ultimately seek non-existence, which makes him question the essence of life and evolution.