02621cam a22003613u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000300011324500190014326400510016230000470021333600260026033700260028633800360031249000610034850000310040950801080044052014400054853400450198865300200203365300260205365300260207970000310210583000610213685600430219799900190224059588UtSlPG20260610134355.0mcr n260607r2019||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aWalton, Bryce,d1918-198814aThe Happy Herd 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2019  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, October 1956  aRelease date is 2019-05-23  aProduced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"The Happy Herd" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction novel that likely originated in the mid-20th century, specifically during the 1950s. The narrative explores themes of individuality and conformity in a dystopian society where people are conditioned to prioritize group happiness over personal freedom and dignity. The story follows Professor Larry Kane, who after a long stint on the Moon, returns to Earth only to find himself ensnared in a culture that eschews independent thought and individuality.  The plot centers around Kane's struggles with the overwhelming desire for solitude as he grapples with the increasingly invasive social dynamics enforced by the Group he encounters upon his return. This 'Gang' of friends, led by Phil and Laura, relentlessly seeks to incorporate him into their world of collective reactions, defined by the use of a machine that measures and dictates their preferences based on group standards. As Kane becomes increasingly aware of the manipulative nature of their 'happy' existence, he fights against the societal pressures to conform and yearns for true individuality. Ultimately, the story examines the psychological ramifications of a society where personal rights, choices, and autonomy are sacrificed for the sake of social harmony, leaving Kane to decide whether to escape back to the isolation of space or to succumb to the collective will. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aScience fiction  aPsychological fiction  aConformity -- Fiction1 aEmshwiller, Ed,d1925-1990 0aProduced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, October 195640uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/59588  c100414d100414