02468cam a22003613u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000320011324500200014526400510016530000470021633600260026333700260028933800360031549000650035150000310041650801100044752012830055753400450184065300200188565300180190565300270192365300310195083000650198185600430204699900170208932243UtSlPG20260610133733.0mcr n260607r2010||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aMcKimmey, James,d1923-201110aConfidence Game 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2010  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from If: Worlds of Science Fiction, September 1954.  aRelease date is 2010-05-04  aProduced by Greg Weeks, David Wilson and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net  a"Confidence Game" by James McKimmey, Jr. is a science fiction novella published in 1954. The story delves into themes of efficiency, control, and the intricacies of human personality as it explores the impact of a revolutionary device designed to enhance confidence and productivity among workers. The narrative unfolds in a corporate setting, outlining the ambitions and conflicts of its protagonist, George H. Cutter.  The novella follows Cutter, an ambitious business owner who is constantly aiming to maximize the efficiency of his company, Cutter Products, Inc. When he learns about a device named the Confidet, which has the potential to enhance the confidence levels of his administrative staff, he eagerly embraces it in hopes of drastically improving productivity. As Cutter initially reaps the rewards of increased efficiency, he becomes increasingly obsessed with control and success. However, as the changes take hold, unexpected consequences arise, revealing how shifts in confidence can alter power dynamics and alter relationships, leading to Cutter's ultimate downfall. The story unfolds into a cautionary tale about ambition, the essence of identity, and the unforeseen repercussions of manipulating human behavior. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aBusinessmen -- Fiction  aSelf-confidence -- Fiction 0aProduced from If: Worlds of Science Fiction, September 1954.40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32243  c73089d73089