Short Fiction · Chapter
Status Quo explained
Larry Woolford investigates the Movement, a revolutionary group challenging the social-label system, and interviews Professor Voss about status labels and their societal impact.
What happens
Larry Woolford investigates the Movement, a revolutionary group challenging the social-label system, and interviews Professor Voss about status labels and their societal impact. He learns of Frank Nostrand's absurd records, receives a call from LaVerne Polk about the Movement's activation, and discusses revolutionary theory with his boss, who dismisses the Movement's secrecy. Woolford resumes his vacation, leaving Susan Self's case to Secret Service.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Caste
The chapter extensively critiques the social-label system, dividing society into nine classes and arguing it rewards incompetence and nonentities.
Rebellion and Revolution
The Movement is discussed as a revolutionary organization aiming to overthrow the government, with parallels drawn to historical revolutions.
Characters to notice
- Lawrence Woolford
Investigates the Movement and interviews Professor Voss about status labels; receives a priority call from LaVerne Polk about the Movement's activation.
- Sam Sokolski
Discusses the Movement with Larry, suggesting Voss has gone underground and mentioning Frank Nostrand.
- Peter Voss
Critiques the social-label system and its impact on society; discusses his friend Charles and the status label culture.
- LaVerne Polk
Calls Larry to inform him the Movement has started moving; later discusses Susan Self's case with him.
- Steve Hackett
Mentioned as handling Susan Self's case for Secret Service.
- Ernest Self
Mentioned as Susan Self's father and a possible inventor of perfect counterfeit money.
Key passages
“and society today isn’t composed of peers. If you have one hundred people, twenty of them competent, intelligent persons, eighty of them untrained, incompetent and less than intelligent, then it’s ridiculous to have the eighty dictate to the twenty.”
Larry argues that a society where the majority is incompetent should not be governed by that majority.
Highlights the elitist critique of democracy underlying the Movement's ideology.
“You wind up with nonentities as the leaders of your nation. In these days, we can’t afford it.”
Professor Voss warns that the status-label system produces unqualified leaders.
Emphasizes the theme of social class and the danger of mediocrity in leadership.
“A revolutionary organization must get out and propagandize. It has got to convince the people that they are being pushed beyond endurance.”
The Boss explains that a successful revolution requires public agitation and propaganda.
Reflects the theme of rebellion and revolution, contrasting with the secrecy of the Movement.