Newton and the twins relaxed on the bridge of the Wingate, pondering Earth’s history. They neared the point in their trip where they would exit hyper-drive inside the planet’s solar system. Soon, the ship’s crew would raise the curtain. A new reality awaited.
“Olsen, let’s conclude the Earth’s history lesson with the planet’s current condition.”
Newton requested this while relaxing on the bridge with the brothers. He sipped a cup of nutrient-based juice from his home planet. Em and Emone were playing a hologram game which resembled a simulation of the Earth version of Dungeons and Dragons.
Olsen made a single beep rather than his usual dramatic entrance. He had grown tired of talking about the abysmal planet Earth and its so-called intelligent life after providing a multi-thousand-year history of the civilization.
He said,
“Are you sure you want to hear it? It is quite abysmal, even when compared to other galactic civilizations.”
Newton chuckled at the AI unit. He never experienced a computer with a sarcastic opinion module.
“Please finish the story of Earth. It is important that we understand the situation.”
Olsen made a computerized sighing sound to show his level of disappointment.
Then he said,
“The human population sits at a crucial juncture. Which way it tips remains to be seen. On one side of the equation, advancement of technology from artificial intelligence, decentralization of existing networks including currency, and open information exchange via the internet threaten the status quo. The technological explosion is driving a natural collapse of existing control systems, which rely on centralization. A core component of centralization is gatekeeping, an oversight feature across their matrix.”
“On the other side of the equation sits a terrified ruling class, losing control while watching their iron fist slavery complex disintegrate. The match to burn the system to the ground will soon to be lit, with or without our intervention. The unevolved population realizes the depth and reality of their prison, and it is only a matter of time before the realization reaches critical mass.”
Olsen paused for dramatic effect. Newton wasn’t sure how many dramatic effects pauses he could take before he took a hammer to the ship’s computer.
Newton asked.
“Could it be avoided without our intervention?”
Olsen answered,
“At this intersection of Earth’s history, the collision is unavoidable. Even with our successful intervention, we may only buy them time. Only one outstanding question remains. How much collateral damage for either scenario? If you are successful, maybe we can limit the potential harm.”
“For decades, the Earth’s exponential advance of automation outpaced human evolution. In successful societies, the relationship between technology and evolution occurs in lockstep or reverse. As happens on any civilization’s advancement curve, ownership of technological assets and industry may end up in the wrong hands. This recipe always fosters misery. Earthlings live this reality, even though most are blind to it, and will continue to experience this pain until the system controllers are replaced with moral citizens.”
Newton and the twins nodded in agreement. The analysis was consistent with other galactic civilizations who faced these challenges.
Newton said,
“A hypnotized, distracted and apathetic society will march off to their own destruction and not realize it until it is too late.”
Olsen continued his analysis.
“A civilization allowing artificial intelligence and software to think for them devolves society by allowing the programmers to steal their minds, and eventually their souls. This is the ruler’s endgame, and it is dangerous. The aristocracy understands technology cycles and also understands it will eventually destroy their power structure. If the advancements transform to complete open source, the destruction of the privileged masters becomes fait accompli, and permanent. They need to control it, at all costs.”
Em added,
“Standard history. In this case, the rulers are not trying to fight the population as the enemy. They already rule the citizens. The enemy is the inevitable advancement of technology which will replace their existing systems. They are attempting to control that because its advancement cannot be stopped.”
Olsen said,
“Correct. The master elites of Earth also appreciate the only real currency is information. Everything else takes secondary importance. And while they control energy, the currencies of trade, and other basic needs such as education and health care, they always understood without authority of knowledge, nothing else matters. Losing their info monopoly ends them.”
Newton said,
“The other night I listened to a recording of a conversation among the ruling class from the goose hive mind. It is relevant to this point in the conversation. Some of the noble elite’s ranks proposed giving up authority. They argued since they already monopolized such a high percentage of the planet’s wealth, assets and resources, they should allow the free market and free information flow to take its course. Others argued vehemently against the idea for two reasons. First, they believed the average human was too stupid to manage their own lives and needed intelligent leadership to guide them. Second, their heinous and egregious crimes committed throughout history would be exposed. What benefit is a pile of money if imprisoned?”
Olsen said,
“That recording is an interesting inflection point. Aristocrats control information through either omission, ownership of the media or both. Any news outlet reporting against the oligarchs is sued out of business or bought and the leadership replaced. It takes time for media saturation to occur. Occasionally, the people hear blips of truth which create ruler pain points, but those blips have always been manageable.”
“The historical arc of information control is identical to other planets. For Earth aristocrats, life was easier in medieval times before the technological explosion. The largest psychological operation in the history of civilization centered on religion and core beliefs. Earth’s people could have started the technological revolution hundreds of years before it happened, but their beliefs held technology in check. The Earthlings believed it inherently evil. This belief system became adopted by the perversion of spiritual truth and fed to the masses by the era’s nobility. Belief systems are a powerful force of nature.”
“The most powerful force in nature is truth. Unfortunately, truth has been obfuscated for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and given the relatively short lifespan of humans, the truth became lost or buried through generational overlaps.”
Newton and the twins pondered the Earth’s situation. Their trip gave them plenty of time to understand the planet and its inhabitants.
The crew of the Wingate had mastered galactic history and knew the essence of Earth’s evolutionary progress without having to understand the exact circumstances. The universe is a mind-numbing behavioral repeat cycle transpiring millions of years. Newton understood if it weren’t for saving the television series, the galactic government would allow the planet to run its natural course. The galaxy’s stewards didn’t interfere in uncivilized planet’s affairs.
The remote location and their archaic space travel capability rendered Earth harmless.
If Earthlings wanted to self-destruct, so be it. The more Newton learned about human society, the more he formed the same opinion, despite his agreement to save the planet from its inhabitants.
After a period of silence, Newton asked.
“Olsen, anything else to add?”
The AI unit said,
“Yes. As during any historical era of substantial transformation and upheaval, chaos grips society. The citizens of Earth sense a seismic metamorphosis afoot, even if the average Earthling stands blind to the source. The Earth’s culture has experienced moral and spiritual rot from the inside out for over one hundred years. Relative to historical eras, the timeframe represents a mass acceleration of cultural decay. The ruling class’s invisible hand facilitates and promotes this degeneration to maintain control throughout the technology explosion.”
“Free-flowing peer-to-peer information terrifies the aristocracy. It will crush their journalism business model, a massive propaganda machine from the start, and it crushes them. In addition, decentralized computing and ledgers with advanced artificial intelligence guarantee the ruler’s extinction. A demise 4,000 years in the making, and one they predicted and started planning to prevent three centuries ago.”
Em pre-empted Olsen’s next thought and said,
“I bet the ruling establishment underestimated their ability to control society and underestimated the exponential advance of technology.”
Olsen said,
“Correct. The original plan ensured societal controls were in place before the tech boom made them obsolete. What seems like a minor error in judgment turns out to have catastrophic potential, provided it reaches its natural conclusion. They are working at a fever pitch to stop it from reaching its logical end, and it has become a classic race against time.”
“On Earth, needless and concocted wars rage on multiple fronts, ravaging innocent citizens, destroying their livelihoods, and murdering innocent souls all for the sake of greed and control. Widespread citizen riots and countless acts of civil unrest are funded by citizen’s own governments to create chaos and calamity where once peaceful society existed. These planned occurrences operate as distractions to facilitate the transition to a more totalitarian government. The lead rioters are well-paid agitators and ruling elite operatives.”
“Their plan is to shrink the world’s population to about one-tenth the current amount through famine and war. The oligarchs intend to create conditions for famine and shortages of energy and food. They own or control the supply and supply chains. By blaming other countries, the world eventually reaches a breaking point, causing additional kinetic wars to break out over the scarcity of resources. The advancement of weaponry since the prior major war ensures this war will be the deadliest on record. The aristocracy orchestrates, funds and benefits from Earth’s war machine and has for the past 4,000 years. They march their innocent citizens off to die for profit and domination.”
Nothing new here when compared to galactic history, Newton thought. The poor always suffered at the hands of the elite masters during wartime.
Olsen finished his analysis.
“The rulers intend to control whatever population remains from the war and famine with a social rating that scores their contribution to society. The definition of positive contribution would be defined by the aristocracy for the sole purpose of ensuring they remain in power. This is to be the final form of Earth’s slave system. Each citizen will be bar-coded like cattle. Newborns marked at birth. The stain of the beast would be tied to their retina scan and fingerprints logged into a central citizenry database. Currencies would be digital, with personal wages or earnings tied to individual identifiers, and social media or other peer-to-peer communications monitored.”
Newton added,
“The idea seems simple. Do your job, support the matrix and you can live your life, albeit as a happy slave. Lash out against the status quo, your bank account is turned off and your avatar, attached to your public identification, is held up to ridicule. You become unemployable. Corporations who hire low-score individuals are castigated. With no money available, you are allowed to starve. The despots believed after two generations of social conditioning through education starting at age four, there would be few complaints. All citizens would be ensconced in their mental prison with no avenue for escape. “
Olsen said,
“The implementation challenge for the ruling class rests with the older generations. They know better and don’t have the correct level of social conditioning. Wrong think permeates their existence. For the older free thinkers, the new matrix must be implemented in phases. The oligarchs will continue to monopolize all social media companies and content, news media, education, health care, and financial systems. The political class remains intact. They are already bought and paid for by extortion or bribes. If fully installed, this perpetual system ensures the enslavement of humanity for thousands of years.”
The rulers of Earth disgusted Newton and the twins. Em recited a series of curse words so descriptive; Olsen deleted the recording of the conversation. For the first time in Olsen’s artificial lifespan, he was not only offended but blushed in embarrassment, to the extent an artificial intelligence module can duplicate visual emotions.
Newton and the twins understood the top-level strategy. The crew’s education on the Earth’s people was complete.