Six men sat down around a conference table in a shut-down business in the middle of what was once one of the greatest cities in what was once one of the greatest nations on Earth. Outside of their window, they could have seen fires flicker all around the city where once electric lights shone unwavering, and small clusters of people moving here and there where there were once huge crowds rushing to and fro – that is, if they had chosen to look. But these men were far too busy to look outside. Indeed, these men had matters of state at hand, the work of rebuilding that city, and who had time to merely observe what menial tasks the people of the city were set on when they were determining those same people's futures?
The light of an old oil lamp someone had found in some abandoned thrift shop flickered on these men's faces, casting an even more secretive atmosphere upon the meeting. They had been discussing forms of government for some time as casually as if they were discussing which menu to have for dinner and had finally agreed upon one they all thought was best suited for their purposes, and of course, the city's welfare.
A former businessman of technology and the most influential of the six, James Karism, slyly smiled and said, "An oligarchy, of course, controlled by a council, or whatever we care to call it, of six. Away with these democracies and republics! They give the populace far too much control, and the people are like children, too naïve to know what they really need."
"And that six be us, of course! If any fool tries to mess with us – they can leave or our men will deal with them, right, Karism?" Atila Murk, leader of one of the biggest gangs enjoined.
"But of course!" Hunter Arkone his brother-in-law agreed. "You give us their names, and they'll be dealt with."
Jacob Basilik - a thin, wily politician - voiced his opinion. "In the beginning, we'll use whatever...force...we have to in order to quell the survivors," he looked at the gang leaders with only thinly disguised contempt, "But later, we should ensure that only the fittest survive. Those who aren't fit, well, the government will kindly put to sleep."
"A grand social experiment, eh?" Cicero Blackmont laughed, "Are we referring to the most physically fit, or the most mentally fit?"
"Both, but with an emphasis on the most mentally fit," replied Calieb Gatling. Then he chuckled, "It's almost as if we're making that old saying 'I think, therefore I am' literal!"
Atila interjected, "What you mean to say is if you don't got the smarts, you don't live no more!"
"Precisely! In fact, I think we should make that our motto!"
All six of them sneered to some degree imagining their empire of the fittest and left the room. Before long, they had spread the word and had begun exiling and exterminating those who would not fit, and then isolated those who would fit and did not protest. But to the chosen few, life was grand! Scientists began experimenting to find life extenuators and better medicines, architects rebuilt the city, the gangs civilized and became the police force, and life resumed its normal pace.
And everywhere, banners and plaques proclaimed the Council's motto: "I think, therefore I am."
YOU ARE READING
Refuge of Lies
Adventure"I think, therefore, I am. " -Renee Descartes What if there was a culture where philosophical thinking was not only admired, but demanded? What if in that culture, if you could not prove you could philosophically think, you would be executed...
