"James P. Hogan - Realtime Interrupt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

тАЬJoe, this is Sarah Bewley. SheтАЩs going to be your new counselor. WeтАЩve been talking about you to a company
that does a lot of work in your field, and theyтАЩre willing to give you a try at a job. IsnтАЩt that great? It will also be
farewell from me pretty soon. IтАЩm moving on.тАЭ
Sarah elaborated. тАЬItтАЩs a Japanese corporation called Himomatsu, who are concentrating on virtual, self-modifying
environments. That is the kind of thing that you used to do, isnтАЩt it? Naturally, it wonтАЩt be as senior a position as you
had before, but we have to start somewhere. IтАЩve arranged an interview for you with their local general manager on
MondayтАФhis name is Rawlings. If they do decide to take you on, youтАЩll be going on a familiarization trip to Tokyo.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩve been busy,тАЭ Corrigan complimented.
тАЬWe just want to see you functioning again, Joe.тАЭ

тАЬSarah,тАЭ Joe said, тАЬis the world going crazy, or am I not as well as I feel?тАЭ
тАЬDidnтАЩt you like Japan?тАЭ
тАЬIt was all the bad tour guides youтАЩve ever seen, come to life. They do everything in regiments over there.
SomebodyтАЩs churning them out of a clone factory.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs a different culture. You have to make allowances,тАЭ Sarah said.
тАЬThey drill their employees on parade grounds. I thought I was joining a company, not the Marine Corps,тАЭ
Corrigan protested.
Sarah smiled patronizingly. тАЬThatтАЩs just a new idea that theyтАЩre trying out. Employee motivation is important.
You canтАЩt learn if you donтАЩt experiment.тАЭ
тАЬTheyтАЩve got dude-ranch-style fantasy farms, where you can act out daydreams. Later, the scripts get incorporated
into VR scenarios. Unreality is getting more real than reality.тАЭ
тАЬPeople probably felt the same way about movies once.тАЭ
тАЬTheyтАЩve got education being dispensed by actors posing as media characters, actresses endorsing scientific
theories, and ads in everything you look atтАФeven grade-school political messages on cereal boxes. And itтАЩs getting
more like that here every day. If this is where it leads, IтАЩm not sure I want the job anymore.тАЭ
тАЬGive it a try,тАЭ Sarah urged. тАЬIt will get you out again, and among people. Think of it as purely therapeutic.тАЭ

Graham Rawlings didnтАЩt look happy as he perused the annual review from CorriganтАЩs file. тАЬIt says that you
havenтАЩt enrolled in the golfing tuition program,тАЭ he observed.
тАЬThatтАЩs right,тАЭ Corrigan agreed.
тАЬWhy not?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt want to play golf.тАЭ (WasnтАЩt it obvious?)
тАЬBut all our executives play golf,тАЭ Rawlings said. тАЬItтАЩs part of the accepted corporate image. DonтАЩt you want to
share in the feeling of strength and security that comes from uniformity of outlook, shared ideals, and a common
purpose?тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
Rawlings seemed taken aback. тАЬSurely you seek promotion and reward, recognition and success? Everybody
needs to proclaim to the world what he is.тАЭ
тАЬBut youтАЩre trying to make me exactly what IтАЩm not.тАЭ
Rawlings looked worried. тАЬMaybe youтАЩre more ill than we realize. Possibly you should see a counselor.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩve already got one.тАЭ
тАЬThe corporation can provide a comprehensive package of counseling, regular physical checks, drugs as required,
and remedial therapy.тАЭ
тАЬNo, thanks.тАЭ
тАЬAt the companyтАЩs expense.тАЭ
тАЬBut I feel just fine.тАЭ
Rawlings sat back, shaking his head, as if that one remark revealed all. тАЬThat proves youтАЩre sick,тАЭ he said gravely.

Sarah was prim about it when Corrigan stopped by her office to announce that he was quitting. тАЬWell, IтАЩm sorry it
didnтАЩt work out, but I tried my best,тАЭ she said. тАЬSo what do you want to do?тАЭ