Franz Kafka is an absurd fiction writer. Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is becoming an epidemic, and Franz Kafka would agree. Kafka wrote The Metamorphosis, The Trail, and The Judgment. His works were absurd, and he wrote about things that would not happen under normal circumstances. Franz Kafka would agree that driving under the influence is becoming a social epidemic. 

Franz Kafka died in 1924 (“The Disease of Franz Kafka”). During this time, cars were not common. Driving under the influence would not have been a severe problem, driving vehicles at least’ “This was a time when railroads were the most common form of transportation” (“Lives on the Railroad”). People did not drive trains while drunk because they would have lost their jobs. The idea of driving under the influence would be crazy to them.

     The topic of driving under the influence could easily have been a topic that Kafka would have written about; “The average speed of a vehicle in the 1920s was 20 miles per hour” (“The 1920s: Speed Limit 20 Mpg ... at Least to Begin With”). So, it would be absurd to him for there to be a car that exists that could go the rate of speed that our vehicles can go today. The idea of an epidemic that could be preventable would have been unbelievable to him. Since driving under the influence was not a severe problem at the time, it was technically absurd fiction, meaning Kafka would be interested in the topic. 

     In his writing The Metamorphosis, he talks about a man who turns into an insect and then later on dies. This is a symbol of dehumanization during the time of capitalism; “ The Metamorphosis serves as a dark critique of the dehumanizing and alienating nature of capitalism.” (“Alienation and Capitalism in Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis'.”)

Kafka used his writings to tell a story, which always had a deeper meaning. He would use the driving under the influence epidemic and turn it into a story about valuing your life over someone else's since driving under the influence is dangerous to all, not just the person driving the vehicle. 

     Franz Kafka's writings were usually related to a problem that was going on at that time. Kafka would think that driving under the influence is a problem in society. He points out in his books that we often put ourselves first and compete with others; “Kafka envisioned a possible world that human beings would construct in which the actions of man depend on nothing but himself and his spontaneity.” (“The Politics Of Kafka.”)This makes us think that it is okay to take risks like drinking and driving. Kafka would see this as a sign that our society needs to change for the safety of others. 

     Kafka would think that driving under the influence is a serious issue. He went through the cholera epidemic in Italy, so he knows very well what an epidemic means (“Understanding Franz Kafka”). With distracted driving becoming much more common, it is very comparable to the cholera epidemic. The cholera epidemic was not curable or preventable. However, driving under the influence is preventable.

     Franz Kafka was a knowledgeable man, and he understood how things worked. He would have known that driving under the influence could be life-threatening and would have tried to stop it. Although the idea of driving while impaired would have been absurd to him, he still would have wanted to stop it. In his book The Trial, he writes about a man who was unexpectedly arrested for a crime that he did not know about. The crime is not revealed to him or the reader. In a way, this is how driving under the influence is; people lose their lives unexpectedly because of it. 

     Kafka is known for his absurd writing style. He would talk about dark and twisted things. He writes as though life is meaningless. However, from some of his readings, it is shown that he values life. Driving under the influence would not have been a big problem during his time, but it is today, and he would want to help change that. Although he writes about meaningless things, this would be different because of how absurd it would be to him. He would not have wished death on anyone, so this topic would have concerned him. His writings are very pessimistic, but he would use them as a metaphor to tell a story about what was happening in the world: “Franz Kafka wrote his short stories and novels in an absurdist, bizarre fashion while maintaining a strangely nonchalant tone throughout many of his pieces ” (“Concordia Library: Author Study: Franz Kafka Curated by Taylor Adams '18: Style.”).

     Kafka would have been against driving under the influence because he was not a heavy drinker; "Kafka was not a heavy drinker, but, as he ironically said, a 'passionate drinker' that is, he could drink beer and wine with intensive pleasure, like a gourmet, and for that, he did not need large quantities" (For Kafka, even beer came with baggage).

Franz Kafka would have agreed that driving under the influence is a severe problem and is becoming a social epidemic. He most likely would have written about this topic if he lived during this time. His exact opinion on the matter is unclear, but he would think that the society is to blame and needs improvement. He would want to do something about this pandemic since it is preventable.