02471cam a22003373u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000240011324500330013726400510017030000470022133600260026833700260029433800360032049000410035650000310039750800960042852013700052453400720189465300200196665300180198665300450200483000410204985600430209072029UtSlPG20260610134651.0mcr n260607r20231958utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aPurdom, Tom,d1936-14aThe man who wouldn't sign up 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2023  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Infinity October 1958.  aRelease date is 2023-11-04  aGreg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"The Man Who Wouldn't Sign Up" by Thomas E. Purdom is a speculative fiction story written in the late 1950s. The narrative follows the life of Henry Westing, a man determined to live independently without conforming to societal pressures or the need to belong to any organization. The story explores themes of individuality versus community, the meaning of belonging, and personal freedom in the face of external expectations.  In the book, Henry Westing repeatedly faces pressure from others to join various groups, whether it be in college, the workplace, or social circles. Despite these pressures, he chooses to remain solo, enjoying his life independently, filled with music, friends, and arts. His solitude attracts the attention of "The Organization," a group aimed at uniting those who feel disconnected. Westing’s encounters with various recruiters, including a psychologist from the Organization, force him to confront the societal expectation that belonging to a group is essential for fulfillment. As he grapples with this notion, he resists temptation but also realizes the value of connection when he reaches out to another potential recruit. The book illustrates Westing's struggle against the tides of conformity, ultimately advocating for the importance of individual choice amidst societal coercion. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  pOriginally published:cNew York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc., 1958  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aBelonging (Social psychology) -- Fiction 0aProduced from Infinity October 1958.40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/72029