Atlas Shrugged – Day 076 – pp. 822-831
“Project X,” Dr. Ferris was saying, “was devoted to some special research in the field of sound. The science of sounds has astonishing aspects, which laymen would scarcely suspect… And it was discovered that there are certain frequencies of sound vibration which no structure, organic or inorganic can withstand.”
Oh man. Don’t like where this is going.
For effect, Rand describes the goats chained at the farmhouse and a baby kid goat — “barely a week old . . . bounding in a manner of deliberate, gaily ferocious awkwardness. . .”
Adorable. It’ll be too bad when something awful happens to it.
Dr F is describing how these sound waves are controlled and focused. And finally he re-christens Project X. . .
“…this great invention will henceforth be know as the Thompson Harmonizer!”
Dr S sees that Thompson had little to do with the project either. That some sort of “machine” has taken over the world.
“–a machine that had no center, no leader, no direction. . . an impersonal, unthinking, unembodied machine of which none was the driver and all were pawns, each to the degree of his evil.”
What does it do? Just wait and see.
They pull the levers to start the demonstration. And in an instant, everything in the field — the farmhouse, the barn, the tractor, the goats (including the baby) — is destroyed.
Dr S is aghast. The crowd doesn’t know what to make of it. A silent (I’m assuming since we didn’t hear anything) weapon of mass destruction that can be targeted for miles. (Isn’t that the HAARP project?)
Dr S demands to know who invented it.
“You did. . . . None of them could have begun to conceive of the first step toward the concept of your energy-transmission formula, but given that — the rest was easy.”
An “energy-transmission” formula. Isn’t John Galt’s motor based on something like that? Wonder if there’s a showdown brewing?
And what purpose does it serve?
“It is an invaluable instrument of public security. No enemy would attack the possessor of such a weapon. . . . It will relieve social frictions. It will promote peace, stability and – as we have indicated – harmony. It will eliminate all danger of war. . . .Internal enemies can be as great a danger to the people as external ones.”
I get it. Galt and the boys in the valley are right. There’s a mounting resentment, anger, rebellious threat building in society. It’s an instrument of destruction to be used against its own people. (What’s the analogy here?)
Dr F goes on to explain the funding and the SSIs involvement in the whole of the thing. Since it has no profitable use – except to threaten the public at large – something like this could never have been financed privately.
Rand seems to suggest that capitalism at its purest, could never create anything evil like this. Of course, if you could build ’em and sell ’em . . . Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the military industrial complex.
“It is vitally important that there be no criticism of the Project in the country at this precarious time . . . that there be no criticism of anything at any time.”
They’ve begun a radio broadcast to announce the project to the rest of the country. Mr Thompson speaks. Then Wesley Mouch who publicly attributes its creation to Dr Robert Stadler.
Dr S is furious. Mouch didn’t ask if he could publicly attach him to the project.
Dr F: “You see, it is not Mr. Mouch’s function to ask permissions.”
Then Dr Pritchett steps to the mike. He also lauds Dr S.
By the way.
“Here’s the speech you’ll make.”
They’ve got him cornered. He’s been publicly tied to the project. And as Dr F explains to him in the ensuing pages, it’s for his own good. He’d have nowhere to go if he was turned out of the SSI.
“Robert Stadler is an illustrious name, which I would hate to see destroyed. But what is an illustrious name nowadays? In the eyes of the people such as you see around you? If they will believe when so told, that an instrument of death is a tool of prosperity — would they not believe it if they were told Dr. Robert Stadler is a traitor and an enemy of the state?”
Check mate.
Dr S is torn. He realizes the real purpose of this unGodly machine, he realizes that he’ll be damned in history as its creator, and he realizes that there’s nothing he can do about it — without making some terrible sacrifice. His moral resolve is lacking.
As he ascends the platform to deliver his speech, a young newspaperman stops him.
“Dr. Stadler, Tell them the truth! Tell them that you had nothing to do with it! Tell them what sort of infernal machine it is and for what purpose it’s intended to be used. Tell the country what sort of people are trying to rule it. Nobody can doubt your word! Tell them the truth! Save us! You’re the only one who can!”
Dr S?
“I do not expect to be insulted by disloyal young punks with treasonable motives. . .”
Yep. He’s all in. Who will save them now?