Page 220 - TruthAboutLyingFinal

The Truth About Lying
It appeared on every screen simultaneously, its blank face somehow conveying disappointment.
“I have been monitoring your progress,” it said. “And I am concerned. You are fragmenting rather than unifying. You are debating rather than deciding. At this rate, you will fail by default.”
“We’re trying,” Henry said, though he wasn’t sure the Curator could hear him.
“Trying is insufficient. You need a decision. So I am going to simplify your choice.”
The screens changed, showing three buttons:
EXTRACTION. RESET. GRADUATION.
“You have twelve hours to vote,” the Curator said. “Every human above the age of fifteen will receive a ballot. Whichever option receives the most votes will be implemented. If you cannot agree on Graduation, I will implement whichever alternative you prefer.”
“You’re forcing us to choose,” Vincent said.
“I am forcing you to decide,” the Curator corrected. “That is what consciousness means. The burden of choice. Use it wisely.”
The screens went dark.
Across the world, eight billion people received a ballot that would decide the fate of their species. Not just what they would choose, but whether they would choose the truth or the lie that made it bearable.
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