Once upon a time, New York City, like all other cities in the United States were run by men of the highest integrity. True leaders who deserved our respect and subservience. The old-fashioned buisnessmen and politicians who valued honesty and integrity more than power and wealth are like dinosaurs. Ethical businessmen have become obsolete and the term an oxymoron.
“It's nothing personal, it's simply business.” -The Godfather
There's a story by Rod Serling called, “Patterns” which is about a “simple man” from Ohio who moves to NYC for a job promotion, only he doesn't know that his job is to replace a senior executive. Once he discovers that the “old-timer” is being pushed out to make room for new blood such as himself, he feels terrible. How common would it be today for a person to take over another's job and feel guilty about not having earned a higher position?
If you've ever seen the movie “The Devil's Advocate” you'll know exactly how the company operates. They set you up in a posh urban mansion and cater to your every desire and vice to condition you to be agree and to be like them.
Rod Serling and George Orwell both wrote Social Sci-Fi, but Serling had to be more creative because he had to be much more subversive since he wrote for television and had to cater to sponsors. George Orwell also had to be subversive, but since he was a journalist and not simply an entertainer he wasn't pressured to keep it light and simple.
There's no room for politics in show business, but ironically that's the subtle force that keeps them going like hoe gravity is a vital component to make airplanes fly. Without politics there would be too much freedom and the Social Sci-Fi genre would hever have been born. Reality had to be disguised and distorted by space and time to make it seen by an outsider's perspective.
“The writer's role is to menace the public's conscience. He must have a position, a point of view. He must see the arts as a vehicle of social criticism and he must focus on the issues of his time.” ―Rod Serling
When “Patterns” first aired in 1956, people loved it because it struck a subconscious nerve. It was prophetic at the time, but looking at it now makes it seem barely sensible. Why would someone give up a Vice President position at a top company in NYC just because someone else who had more experience didn't deserve to be forced to resign? This wouldn't happen today. “Too bad, so sad but more for me!” would be the “sensible” way to respond.
What would you do? Take a job you didn't deserve or follow your conscience? It's so easy to be a “Yes Man”, all you have to do us what you're told. Expertise and experience is not required of “Yes Men”. Just go along and play the part like an actor or puppet. Everyone does it. That's called being “normal” when you are a “winner” and doing what you gotta do to be on top.
Money to corrupt men can be used like dog treats to train them.
Patterns lauched Rod Serling's career and is a must see for any Social Sci-Fi fan.
We’re developing a new citizenry. One that will be very selective about cereals and automobiles, but won’t be able to think.” -Rod Serling
I think that Rod Serling would have liked to have called this “Gravy Train”, but that would have made it too obvious. I'd be willing to bet though that he had “Grave Train” in mind because there are three references to this pun in his show.