"Mack Reynolds - Ability Quotient" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

Nothing will do but that he enter the arts. Which he does, possibly to his
eventual sorrow. Next year…"

"Kay," Bert Alshuler said. "I get your point. And it sounds valid. But
why in the hell should these punch card machines be in a better position
to decide than I am?"

"They don't utilize punched cards any more, my dear Alshuler. But the
reason is that they know more about you than you do."
 "Oh, now… really."

The professor leaned forward again, put his fingertips together and
looked very sincere. "But they do, you know. Since your birth, the National
Data Banks have been filing away the information on Albert… ah…
Alshuler. Not only data on you, but both of your parents. The doctor who
presided at your birth recorded all pertinent information. So did every
doctor who has treated you since. So have all your teachers. So have all the
police with whom you have had dealings. All the information you ever
supplied to census takers, to the Internal Revenue offices, to the military,
is there, and the results of all the I.Q., Ability Quotient and other tests.
You have no idea, my dear Alshuler. The National Data Banks contain
information that your own faulty memory has long since forgotten."

Bert Alshuler said abruptly, "What's in it for me if I… temporarily…
accept this, uh, project?"

The professor nodded and flicked on a desk screen. He looked into it
and made a rueful moue. "You are not in a very good bargaining position,
I fear. Currently, your sole source of finances is your Guaranteed Annual
Income. Of course, as a veteran, all your school expenses are paid."

Bert Alshuler held his peace.

The other said, "Your GAI will be doubled during the period you work
with us. If you finish the whole project, that is, if you remain with us for as
long as we wish, you will be awarded an additional five thousand
pseudo-dollars." He twisted his mouth in amusement. "Which will
undoubtedly be meaningless to you."

Alshuler scowled. "Why? Five thousand is no small sum to a student,
and that's all I am now."

"Because, Mr. Alshuler, if the project is a success, by that time you will
be wealthy beyond your dreams of avarice."

Chapter Two
Bert Alshuler looked at him sarcastically. "I have some pretty avaricious
dreams," he said. "Why will I be wealthy? Frankly, I've always been a little
on the lazy side. I rather doubt that I've got the push to make myself very
rich in the world as it is today."