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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
150
"Do
you
really
mean
that?"
"I
certainly
do.
I'm
sick
of
standing
around
watching
a
machine
do
the
same
thing
day
after
day.
Most
of
the
professional
men
I
know
feel
the
same
way.
We
want
to
do
something.
Anything.
Did
you
know
that
a
hundred
years
ago
human-piloted
starships
were
exploring
the
planets
of
other
solar
systems?"
"Yes."
"Well,
that's
what
we
should
be
doing
now.
Moving
outward,
exploring,
advancing.
That's
what
we
need."
"I
agree.
But
don't
you
think
you're
saying
rather
dangerous
things?"
"I
know
I
am.
But
frankly,
I
just
don't
care
any
longer.
Let
them
ship
me
to
Omega
if
they
want
to.
I'm
doing
no
good
here."
"Then
you've
heard
about
Omega?"
"Anyone
connected
with
starships
knows
about
Omega.
Round
trips
between
Omega
and
Earth,
that's
all
our
ships
do.
It's
a
terrible
world.
Personally,
I
put
the
blame
on
the
clergy."
"The
clergy?"
"Absolutely.
Those
sanctimonious
fools
with
their
endless
drivel
about
the
Church
of
the
Spirit
of
Mankind
Incarnate.
It's
enough
to
make
a
man
wish
for
a
little
evil...."
(Citizen
Father
Boeren,
age
51,
occupation
clergyman.
A
stately,
plum-shaped
man
wearing
a
saffron
robe
and
white
sandals.)
"That's
right,
my
son,
I
am
the
abbot
of
the
local
branch
of
the
Church
of
the
Spirit
of
Mankind
Incarnate.
Our
church
is
the
official
and
exclusive
religious
expression
of
the
government
of
Earth.
Our
religion
speaks
for
all
the
peoples
of
Earth.
It
is
a
composite
of
the
best
elements
of
all
the
former
religions,
both
major
and
minor,
skillfully
blended
into
a
single
all-embracing
faith."
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