Part I, Article 2

"The Last Garbage Man of Earth"

by Thomas Markovski, Popular Dynamics

Isaiah Galt was certainly a genius, which likely contributed to his being anti-social. Being granted an audience with the man meant journeying into his world. To begin such a journey, one had to leave the safety of the green world, and enter the vast regions of a twisted metal jungle. At the border—which is fair to say, as the Galt Scrapyard is a veritable country unto itself—a visitor would be greeted by two men, the cheer of their broad smiles contrasting with the ruthless thermal rifles they held at all times. A thorough screening would be performed, with items of a seemingly random nature being confiscated (to be returned safely on your departure).

From the entrance, an ancient automobile (one which presumably still burned fossil fuels) would carry visitors into the heart of the yards. The driver shared with the guards the same peculiar grin and light hearted manner that ought to belong to the green cities of the contemporary age, but were noticeably vacant upon returning home. As for the mode of travel: it had its peculiarities which were exhilarating, but also had the raw danger factor that makes one wonder how man ever survived without computer piloted vehicles.

At the heart of the yards was an enormous industrial complex. The sights and sounds and SMELLS were unlike anything on the rest of the Earth. In the absence of UWG regulations, Galt and his army of freelance workers had apparently found that they could tolerate a great deal less comfort than the standard of the rest of the world. And though you might think this description is of a third world country, struggling for industry, you would find at its core the most advanced array of technology on Earth. It was as though freedom from government intervention and not freedom provided by government intervention had actually birthed innovation, as if the oppressive obstacles of the untamed world were necessary to foster it. Innovation—a concept which seemed dead in the comfort of the green world—was found alive and well in the most hostile place on the planet.

This was the mystery of Isaiah Galt's genius. It was here at the heart of a hellish wasteland, amid the crushing and the clanking and the reeking, that he conceived what he called the "Particular Reaction." A generic sounding name, whose common use may well have sparked the thought. Galt was an avid reader, and had built a library within the complex where he still housed actual books. Among his collection were not only names that would spark some memory with the common man (like Einstein, Faraday, and Hawking), but also those that are almost forgotten by those who know physics well (like Reimann, Kaluza, and Witten). He also had sections of literature and philosophy, as well as political documents from early American culture. Awash with theory and philosophy, Galt suddenly realized that the particular reaction he was hoping would transform his proverbial lead into gold was not nuclear in nature, but "partic-lear" in nature.

"It suddenly became clear that matter is not make of physical structures the base of which are three main components working together, but of one form which has a tenuous nature. That is, all matter is energy already. It is merely resonating at an unfavorable frequency. The reason that 21st century particle accelerators were largely unsuccessful was not because they were too weak, but because they were too strong. The tenuousity of matter is in direct opposition to the external forces acting upon it. The very act of 'smashing' solidifies the particle's material nature."
- Isaiah Galt, at the Global Science Symposium

Contrary to popular belief, he became a billionaire decades before most of the world knew his name. Granted, a billion dollars isn't what it was when the old American civilization first made its experiment, and granted, most of that constituted enormous holdings of scrap and literal garbage. But Galt was a materialist in the most literal sense. He was called the "last garbage man on Earth" not because no one else handled the world's waste, but because he would take the trash that no one else would. Ultimately, the chain of reusing and recycling ended with him, and he was able to charge large fees by virtue of this fact.

It was the profits from these fees, which enabled Galt to construct his research and development complex. When Galt's company was able to run without him, he retired to the complex, out of the public eye. It was the freedom he was able to provide to honest, ambitious freelancers, which enabled him to build a loyal community around his projects. It was the search for truth that ultimately opened the door in his mind, giving the world the "Particular Reactor," for which he won the Nobel Prize in Physics.

"He has become wealthy not because of greed, but because of his courage, faith, and vision. Courage, because he had the will to fight for independence and control of his property, even when his hoarding seemed insane. The secret to unlock his madness—his genius—lay not in the opportunist profiteering on a world desperate for waste disposal, but in his vision of what those profits would enable him to do with the waste. Mr. Galt believes that all matter can be reduced into energy, and that ultimately he would find a way to transform his garbage 'holdings' into nearly limitless power. A clean power, which he believed would be a greater resource to man than all the 'green' energy of the previous century, and which made all the trials worth bearing. And as we gather here to recognize the greatest achievements of man, so too do we recognize the contribution of Mr. Isaiah Galt to the planet Earth."
- Laura Roentgen, Nobel Prize Committee Chairwoman

Popular Dynamics is a feedsite, devoted to the public interest of newer technology and its culture. Thomas Markovski is a contributing author who has also published a dozen e-books on the subject of contemporary culture.

Part I, Article 1

A Brief History of the UWG: Part 1

by Maverick Marader

For much of the 21st century, the economy of Earth was stalled. There were still many technological advancements, especially from newly industrialized nations. However, these nations were mostly lifted out of the third world through expensive foreign initiatives, which were funded at the expense of post-industrial nations by globally ambitious, yet fiscally irresponsible, members of the power elite. The governments which used their power the most effectively, rose to the top of the heap, while once-free nations found themselves becoming indentured servants. In an effort to further the interests of the ruling class, the remaining superpower used its political pull to form a central regulatory body, giving birth to the United World Government. Expert social planners with various bureaus made earnest requests through media outlets for the people's support of "necessary actions," and the UWG continued to expand its powers through the end of the 21st century.

Not far into the 22nd century, however, problems began to arise. The UWG's progress in "green" regulation came up hard against the demand from the people's consumerist appetite. A persistent stream of independent thinkers spoke out against the UWG's "have your cake, and eat it too" political policies. A great deal of independent media pointed out the critical mass of consumer-targeted technology innovation, while calling for more freedom to pursue innovation in the way new technologies are produced. Unfortunately, much of what they said never reached a broader audience, and was ignored by those in power. A person whose writing indicated him as a philosopher became the butt of much criticism, and purist economists were not treated much better. The mass media's interest in developing large blocks of consumers fell in line with the UWG's interest in large blocks of voters, and freedom was a threat to those interests.

It might have appeared to an outsider that production was running high, but under the surface, the increase in consumer goods was not generated by the increase in productive means, but by the coercion of UWG initiatives. Under such a system waste is large and inevitable. Not the waste of the earthman's spirit, when he knows his greatest efforts are in vain, or of the waste of his mind when such knowledge causes him to recoil from the threat of failure, but waste of the physical nature. In order to appeal to the mind of the masses, and not risk turning the world over to the independents, the powerful members of the UWG knew that the fate of their reign rested upon what they did with the garbage.

The Earth was covered with vast natural parks and ecologically sound farming. Many of the 21st century's post-industrial and industrial centers were under global mandates to decrease emissions and increase green spaces, while continuing to produce enough product to meet demand. This demand was driven by large media marketing firms who employ psychological techniques, auto-suggestion, and total-media experiences to overwhelm people, answer all their questions, and otherwise prevent them from thinking for themselves. The goal of the system was to control both supply and demand, with the result of increasing both.

But still there was the physical garbage. Technology was what the masses demand, and what the media needed to re-enforce that demand. Government created initiatives to increase production in technology and issued subsidies for poorer citizens who could not afford to keep up with the changes. Older technology was recycled according to strict regulations, but certain components could not be melted down because of emissions regulations. Some of the more independent recyclers ignored emissions laws at the risk of becoming government controlled, and government controlled companies were given a blind-eye clearance to ignore the laws.

But still there was the physical garbage. No recycling or refining process, known to earthmen, could reduce the physical waste created by excessive consumption of non-biodegradable materials—the very permanence of which is essential to create stable technology. As the refuse piled up, and the green spaces of Earth expanded to meet those piles, everyone looked to the UWG for a solution to the problem. The UWG found itself in the difficult position of choosing one of three choices: scale back green regulation, scale back consumerism, or launch the garbage into space.

If they scaled back green regulations in order to make more space for the garbage, they risked an uprising by masses who were invested in the green future. If they scaled back consumerism, they risked offending the big-money elite who generously funded their campaigns. If they created a plan to launch the garbage into space, they needed to scramble for raw energy.

The rapid expanse of green regulations had brought about the ban of research into "dirty" energy, most importantly, nuclear fusion. Media of the day heralded energy-conscious citizens as the new heroes. Citizens of a united, environmentally enlightened culture were encouraged to conserve energy (even while the goods they consume waste energy in production), and utilize their own solar and wind sources (which were provided through global subsidies). Energy resources were spread thin by design, with much social demonization of those who propose opening research into nuclear fusion.

And yet the problem remained, but problems mean opportunity. Those in power knew that if even one free-thinking person recognized a way in which he can solve the problem privately, it may well mean the end of the ruling class.

As top minds—experts in their fields—convened in comfortable bureaucracy to present the easiest, cheapest (most career boosting) solutions to the problem, somewhere among the scrap heaps, a genius was turning over a thought in his mind. As men in white coats pretended to be less than entirely uncertain about the world, a fleet of certain purpose was searching. As the tectonic plates of Earth's political landscape were colliding, a connection was about to be made that would change the course of Earth.

A Brief History of the UWG is Mr. Marader's thesis from the Algrenn Fissel Academy in Larsio Zuto, Felimica (Mars). Born Gearden Marader III, onboard the H.V. Numeria, his extraordinary career led him back to the Academy's circles numerous times, first as a returning drop-out, then as an alumnus, and finally as a guest speaker and benefactor. His story is an inspiration to trillions of students across the Universe.

Glossary

Demologue:
Due to the prevalence of mass communication technology, an overwhelming library of information is available on any subject. Because it comes from a vast array of authors, the information ranges from wildly inaccurate speculations to dead  on truths. A demologue is designed to weed the useless from the useful. It is a collection of stories and essays both by and about a significant historical figure, which have been chosen by those most influenced by the person to accurately represent the principles of his or her life.