Alex was still pretty tired when he crawled out of bed at 1:00 p.m. He walked upstairs to use the bathroom and then stopped in the kitchen for a late breakfast. As he ate his hard-boiled eggs, toast, and bacon, he thought about everything he'd learned over the past couple of days. Two short books had opened his eyes to a type of human being he never knew existed.

He thought of the cocky rich kids in high school; how they walked around with their noses in the air and always had a disgusted look on their faces. They wore the most expensive name-brand clothes and drove Daddy's BMW to school. He used to think they represented the elite. Now he knew better. None of those people, or their families, had any real power. They weren't even that wealthy. Their parents probably made double, maybe triple, the average income. The fact that they were in public school provided all the proof of their status, or lack thereof. They didn't know it, but they were members of the herd just like everyone else.

Alex could only imagine what kind of school Howard attended and what kind of "education" he'd received. He could only imagine what Howard was taught at home about his proper place in the world. He wondered about the men who wrote Propaganda and The Scientific Outlook too. Both of them, Edward Bernays and Bertrand Russell, held a view of the world that was completely different from that of the masses. Their proximity to real power and their knowledge of the inner workings of that power had undoubtedly shaped their minds and their lives in a way that most, including Bernays and Russell, probably couldn't understand.

This inevitably led Alex to wonder what kind of man he would be if he'd been raised as a member of the dominant class. Would he have developed the same arrogant view of the masses? After witnessing the power of propaganda, after watching it drive the herd in the desired direction over and over again, could he deny its power? Wouldn't it force him to accept that the masses are easily led—and misled—by anyone who "pulls the wires of the public mind"? And if so, if the masses were, in fact, hopelessly susceptible to propaganda, would it be wise for Alex, as a member of the dominant class, to leave the pulling of the wires up to somebody else, to a Hitler or a Stalin—or worse?

Though it bothered him, Alex could see how a "good person" could justify manipulating the masses. He also saw how a man like Howard would use their good intentions to serve his own selfish interests. Alex grabbed a new notebook and wrote "General Thoughts" across the top. Before beginning the book on eugenics, he wanted to capture this new idea:

In The Scientific Outlook, the author contradicts himself multiple times, but I think he truly believes, rightly or wrongly, that he has society's best interests in mind. In Propaganda, the author is cockier and less focused on the potential problems that his professional manipulators could cause, but he also argues, and probably believes, that it's for the good of the masses.

Howard, on the other hand, has made it clear that he's only interested in power, and he's willing to deceive to get what he wants. So, if he thinks he'd benefit from the kind of society that these authors describe, then it makes sense that he'd hide behind their "good intentions" in order to create it. He'd encourage well-meaning men to argue the morality of conditioning and manipulating the herd while he—high above both the herd and its well-meaning manipulators—reaped the rewards.

Where Alex initially imagined Bernays and Russell as members of the dominant class, he began to see a separation. If they truly felt they were serving the greater good (and they probably did), they would never willingly create or advocate a system that empowered the likes of Howard. So, didn't that suggest that they were being manipulated too? Would anything else make sense?

Rather than assume he was right, Alex decided to contact Howard and ask him directly. He was a little uncomfortable since he wasn't sure what the rules for making contact were. Maybe Howard was really busy and would be seriously irritated if Alex interrupted him. What if this was a completely inappropriate use of the laptop? Alex thought about it for a few minutes before deciding his best bet was to simply plead ignorance. After all, Howard specifically said, "If you need to reach me before our scheduled meeting, open the laptop." Based on that, Alex organized his thoughts, put the wireless headphones on, and did exactly what he'd been told to do. He opened the laptop and waited. The red screen appeared surprisingly fast, followed by Howard's distorted voice.

"I have about half an hour, Alex. What is it?"

"I've already read both Propaganda and The Scientific Outlook, and I'm going to start the book on eugenics today."

"Excellent. I knew you wouldn't be able to put them down. I'm sure you will finish the third book quickly too. Try to complete it by our next meeting; we'll be able to cover much more ground that way. What do you need, Alex?"

"I have some questions, but first I want to know if it's OK for me to use this," Alex said, holding up a small digital recorder about the size of a pack of gum. He often spoke his ideas into it while driving.

"It will be much easier than trying to type notes. If I turn it on and stick it between one headphone and my ear, I think it will pick up both of our voices pretty good."

"Yes, that is fine. Just remember our agreement," Howard replied.

"Great. Yes, I remember," Alex said as he tucked the small device under the right earpiece of his headphones.

"OK, I guess the first question is were the two authors, Bernays and Russell, considered members of the dominant class?"

"No," Howard replied.

"What were they, then? They obviously knew more about the real world than the masses that they studied and described. They were raised differently than the masses, weren't they? They were raised among a different class."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean they were part of the dominant class. You are right, generally speaking, that they were not part of the inferior class. But they and their kind are only our servants. They don't determine national or global policies. At most, they provide information that helps us achieve our goals. They sell policy, but they have no say in creating it."

"Don't take offense, Howard, but it seems that both men, especially Russell, would be opposed to a dominant class that was interested only in power. Doesn't his position undermine yours?"

"Technically, yes. But in effect, no. As stated, opinions are unimportant to us. All that matters is that our interests are served. You remember when I told you there are certain higher-level positions available in the system, correct?"

"Yes," Alex replied.

"So, think of it this way: Politicians, professors, scientists, generals, bureaucrats, etc. all play a part in serving our interests. If they are useful to us, they are credentialed and permitted to advance in the system. If they are not useful to us, credentials are withheld, and they are not permitted to advance. If they are useful at first but then become a problem, credentials are withdrawn, they are discredited and cast out. It is fairly simple."

"So are you saying that Bernays and Russell knowingly served your interests, despite the fact that doing so undermined what they claimed to believe in?"

"Alex, I did not say anything about knowingly serving our interests. Do you think a soldier would risk his life to serve our interests? Do you think the average voter would pay taxes to serve our interests? No. In fact, it's imperative that people believe that our institutions and policies serve their interests. That is a key tenet of social engineering."

"But how come they don't catch on? Regardless of what they initially believe they're doing, shouldn't they eventually see they're not accomplishing it?" Alex asked.

"Are you asking about the masses in general or those who serve in higher-level positions?"

"The ones in higher-level positions. If they're intelligent, how come they can't figure out they're being used?"

"Intelligence is not the deciding factor, Alex. Just because an individual is intelligent does not mean they engage in critical thought. Consider the case of professors. They are technically intelligent, but they are also among the easiest to control. The only reason they are in their position is because they have demonstrated an exceptional ability to absorb and repeat what they're told. They are like computers. We put the data in; they confidently spit the data out. They are not paid to think. They are not paid to question the official truth."

This reminded Alex of the Galileo story. Aristotle had laid down an "official truth" regarding falling objects, and it stood, incorrectly, for thousands of years because none of the "best and brightest" minds ever thought to question it.

"As long as we maintain the illusion of consensus," Howard continued, "and paint any who challenge the official truth as a fool or perhaps even a danger to society, most high-level administrators remain loyal and oblivious."

"But Russell wasn't oblivious. He at least saw the potential dangers of a world run by a dominant class," Alex replied.

"Yes, and what was his solution to that problem?" Howard asked.

"I'm not sure I understand the question," Alex replied.

"Bertrand Russell warned of the potential dangers of a world run by a dominant class, and his solution to that problem was to create what? A world government. 'World government,' by definition, exists to run the world. Does that make sense to you, Alex? Who, if not the dominant class, is going to run that world government? In one breath, he warns of too much power in too few hands, and then, in the next, he advocates the ultimate consolidation of power. It's the perfect illustration of an individual serving the very interests he believes he is working against."

"But I think he felt that, if organized properly, it would prevent abuses of power."

"It does not matter what he felt or what he thought, Alex. Think rationally! Ask yourself: If the inferior class cannot effectively control their local or national governments, if they're incapable of directing or holding those smaller institutions accountable in any meaningful way, how precisely will they control a far larger, infinitely more powerful and bureaucratic institution?"

"I don't know, by electing the right representatives?" Alex replied.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Howard growled.

"Why is that ridiculous?"

There was a moment of silence as Howard assessed the enormous gap between Alex's level of understanding and his own. It disturbed him. On the verge of losing his patience, he spoke more deliberately.

"Because, just as it is now, we will choose who the masses get to choose from. We will put forward the 'legitimate candidates'—those who serve our interests, either knowingly or unknowingly—and any undesirable candidates will be ignored and/or vilified into irrelevance. Do you believe we would use our own global media against ourselves? It's as if you are forgetting about the social engineering element, or you haven't really absorbed what you have read and what I have explained to you. You are going to have to do better than this, Alex."

"I'm just asking because—" Alex began but was interrupted.

"If you are given a choice of voting for either Joseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler, if those are the names on the ballet and you choose one of them, are your interests represented?"

"No, but—"

"What if you refuse to vote for either of them? Will you be represented then?"

"No, but—"

"More importantly, Alex, if you actually believe the will of the people is expressed by majority vote and represents their interests, how will US citizens like it when all of their votes combined equal approximately one-quarter of the votes cast in a country like China or India? Will the people of the US really be represented when 1.2 billion Chinese cast their votes against approximately 300 million US votes? Do you want to be a member of the inferior class in that system? Where you can vote all you like, but you'll never have enough votes to influence policy?"

Alex felt like his head was spinning again. Everything that came out of Howard's mouth was foreign to him, and he felt helpless to counter any of it. Even through the voice-morphing software, he heard the disappointment and scorn in Howard's voice.

"Think about everything we've discussed and answer, as simply as you can, this question: Why do we, the dominant class, work to spread the concept of democracy around the world?"

Alex knew the answer. It was finally starting to sink in.

"Because it serves your interests. . .Because it increases your advantage," Alex replied in a subdued voice.

"Exactly. For the reasons I have outlined, and for others that I haven't, the universally praised democratic model of social organization provides us a level of control that our predecessors never dreamed possible. It hasn't provided us absolute power, but it enables us to consistently move in that direction with far less resistance and expense than any other approach in history."

"Howard, I realize that my lack of understanding might be disappointing, but I'm only a couple days into this, so try to take that into consideration."

"Understood, but you must try harder," Howard replied.

"What exactly is my purpose in all of this? How am I going to serve your interests?"

"Not just my interests, Alex, our interests."

"OK, how will I serve our interests?"

"Approximately 5 percent of the population is mentally capable of recognizing and accepting reality. A much smaller percentage, a tiny fraction of 1 percent, is honest and courageous enough to act rationally once they discover it. Your job is to reveal the real world to that tiny percentage of the population. You will draw them to our cause."

"With my book?" Alex asked.

"Yes," Howard replied.

"Then what?"

"Then, the world as it has been since the dawn of man will end."

Fifteen seconds of silence passed in what seemed like fifteen minutes. Alex reluctantly broke the uncomfortable moment with another question.

"What does that mean, Howard?"

"It means that we will be the first to finally secure what every member of the dominant class has sought since power and privilege took form on this planet. We have built the infrastructure. Our institutions—political, educational, pharmaceutical, agricultural, financial—have all been shaped so that, when the time arrives, we can turn their full power toward our ends. Well within your lifetime, the final form of human government will emerge. You will witness, and be a part of, the final revolution."

It wasn't difficult for Alex to picture the final form of human government that Howard had in mind. Bertrand Russell had laid it out clearly, and, unlike before, there was no underestimating the gravity of Howard's words.

Alex instinctively recoiled from the vision of a dominant-class dictatorship that, once established, could never be overthrown. A scientifically-created hell on Earth where the congenital differences between rulers and ruled would increase until they become almost different species. A world where "a revolt of the plebs would become as unthinkable as an organized insurrection of sheep."

"But what happens if the people wake up to all of this? What if the masses emerge from the illusion and discover what's going on?"

"They are incapable, Alex. They are truly inferior, easily manipulated, irrational fools. You have nothing to worry about. You will be safe among us."

Howard inaccurately assumed that Alex was worried about the masses waking up. Instead, Alex was already trying to figure out how to sound the alarm. Howard was living in an illusion of his own. He assumed Alex was "one of them" and could be trusted. It was now Howard who was serving the very interests he thought he was working against.

"Only some will discover our deception, and by then, it will be too late. Even at the very end, the vast majority will have no idea what is going on. We will create chaos; they will look for protection and obey. It is always the same."

"Alright, but surely you've thought about what to do just in case. You can't tell me that there are no plans for dealing with some type of organized resistance," Alex replied.

"There will be some resistance, but it will be a small minority. Probably 5 percent, possibly as high as 10 percent. It won't be enough."

"How can you say it won't be enough? Ten percent of the population is an awful lot of people, Howard. You said the dominant class makes up far less than 1 percent! You're saying that a group that outnumbers you more than ten to one is nothing to worry about?"

"You're not doing the math properly, Alex. We control the herd. We can and will turn the 90 percent against the resistance. Also, keep in mind that numbers alone don't determine power. We control the police, the military—" This time, Alex interrupted.

"But the police and military were created, and the people who joined did so, for the sole purpose of protecting citizens and defending the country. You're telling me that they're just going to go along with whatever you order them to do?"

"History has answered that question thousands of times. Yes, they will. If you want to know why, look no further than what we've already discussed. The enforcers will comply because of what they believe they are doing. Authority will claim, and the servants will accept without question, that they are defending the country. Specifically, they will believe they are defending the country from traitors and terrorists who are attempting to overthrow the government. Keep in mind, Alex, police and military are not paid to think either. They are expected only to follow orders, and they will not be sophisticated enough to realize that we have already overthrown the government that they're fighting to preserve.

"Now, just as it was among the masses, some of the enforcers will see. They will realize that they're only defending the machinery of government while sacrificing the principles that were intended to direct its operation. They will resist, but their efforts will be futile."

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Because they will be ejected from the power structure, branded traitors, and replaced with individuals who, in 'defense of the nation,' will happily kill or cage them. Alex, you must understand that the military and police all operate under a chain of command, and we are at the top of that chain. We built the enforcement apparatus. We control who operates it, and we decide who it will be directed against. The same can be said for the media, the money supply, nearly the entire system of food and energy distribution . . .As I said, their efforts will be futile."

Alex said nothing. Howard could see that he was disturbed.

"I warned you that it would be difficult at first. Give it some time, Alex. As the years pass, and as your understanding deepens, it will become easier. Just remember that it takes time to process new information. You will eventually see the world correctly. More importantly, you will see why it has to be this way. I am nearly out of time. Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"What if I'm not part of the less than 1 percent? What if I'm not, as you put it, 'honest and courageous enough to act rationally'?"

"Then you will not be able to finish the project, you will not be paid, and the quality of your life, especially in the coming years, will take a drastic turn for the worse. But I don't think you have to worry about that. Based on the information I have, you are one of us. You were born with what it takes to exercise power.

"Read the next book. It discusses the biological differences between you and the inferior class. It also details our plans for dealing with them after the final revolution. I look forward to hearing your thoughts the next time we speak. I think you will feel more confident about all of this then.

"I have to go, Alex. If you need to contact me before our next meeting, open the laptop. I will respond when available."

"OK," Alex replied.

The red screen disappeared. Alex shut the laptop and opened Eugenics: A Reassessment.