O-Zone, an abbreviation for Outer Zone, is an enormous part of middle America that was abandoned because of contamination from nuclear waste. Deserted, primeval and overgrown, O-Zone becomes irresistible to the few who dare to see it. Instead, humans have returned to their bucolic roots, tending fields, fishing, capturing power from the wind, sun and compost heaps, living in modest but comfortable cottages with plenty of privacy for meditation and composing songs. Everyone gets a sabbatical from productive work every seven years. Luxuries like jewels, vases and paintings circulate to everyone through libraries.
Public speeches are limited to five minutes.
The greatest crime is greed. In groups of eight or nine, CUTMs take legal drug overdoses, leaving milk and cookies for the emergency crews. Meanwhile, the surgeon general is trying to outlaw convertibles because they promote skin cancer. Everything is just a little bit worse. A cataclysm might be preferable.