I have this vision of the future: In a not-so-distant future, the government will mandate that everyone wear a T-shirt with a number on it; any number from one through ten. The government will decide which numbers are given out and to whom; the criteria will be designated by the government and will not be made public. There will be no hearings, your assigned number will be your number. Wearing the shirts will be mandatory and it will be a crime to try to present a number other than the one assigned.
Those with high numbers such as ten and nine, will do anything required of them by the government in order to keep their high numbers and any privileges that go with them. Those with numbers eight through six will do their best to cozy up to those wearing higher numbers than themselves, while they demand deference from those with lower numbers. Those with the lowest numbers will be discouraged but will have little power to do anything about their situation.
The number system will have the consequence of curtailing creativity, as those with lower numbers that can't be raised will hold back on their contribution to society as much as they can. Many will grumble about the situation from behind closed doors but no one will stick their neck out as that would be a risk of his own number.
A very, very few will actually question the right of the government to assign ranked numbers to people and force the wearing of them.They will not be heard among those with higher numbers too busy enjoying their advantages over the lower numbers to question the system.
