Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 42 — page 137: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION “‘Now you’re in my field, Kermit. It’s elementary that one set of hopes, fears and symbols is as illusory as an- other. One purpose is as good as another. We haven’t taken away your freedom to think— you've had plenty of chance to think creatively. We’ve merely prevented you from thinking about nonsense, like purpose.”’ So there is was, Kermit thought. Their whole philo- sophy. And hardly a new one at that. Since they hadn’t needed the brilliance of a Samuels to create it for them, Kermit imagined that with Samuels as with himself it was merely a matter of survival. Except that Samuels seemed to have been better at self- deception. *““As a theory, it may be plausible,’ Kermit said. “But in reality it’s full of holes. We’ve been kept underground simply because it’s much easier to regiment us, watch us, con- dition us in a confined space.”’ His mind was completely clear now, clearer than it had been for many years, Kermit thought. But his legs suddenly started to give way and he had to sit down. Samuels : was about to say something but Kermit cut him off. 136 *“You’re trying to create an ant society. Of course youll — say that ants seem to be content——”’ “Which they are,’ Samuels said, smiling. “Yes. Because their society fits their biological makeup. I can’t imagine an ant having doubts, as I have. Men are simply not ants, Samuels.” “Most of them will behave — as if they were,’’ Samuels said, his voice suddenly savage. *‘Those who haven’t—we’ve eliminated. You’re too valu- able to eliminate, so we'll re-educate you.” He laughed shortly. ““You’d be surprised how easily you can be re-educated, Kermit.” “TI wouldn’t be surprised at all,” Kermit grunted. “Given enough torture, drugs or what- ever you use, I imagine I’d be just as pliable as anyone else. You could condition my re- flexes so that at the mention of Father I’d bow, sweat, cry or dance a jig—anything you © a wanted. But I’d still be a man, not an ant.” “Why?” Samuels grinned. ‘“Because you give off a ‘post- cortical’ wave ?”’ They didn’t miss much, Ker- — mit thought. They even knew he’d sneaked in a test of him- self along with others he’d Comicvooksicom