If humanity has one majestic talent, it’s an almost infinite capacity to get used to the Next Big Thing … then take it for granted. - David Brin

After all, he muttered, what can they do to shake the confidence of a fellow who's got delusions of adequacy?

Yes, but all that’s needed is to break reciprocity,” he answered. “By controlling information, making sure it flows one way. Take over the databases. Trump up panic situations, so the public will support paternalistic ‘protections.’ Make sure lots of privacy laws get passed, then bribe open some back doors, so elites can see it all anyway, and ‘privacy’ only protects them. “Of course there’s more to the program than that,” Hamish continued, gaining momentum. “The smarty-pants knowledge castes will see what’s happening and complain. So you propagandize a lot of populist resentment against the scientists and other professionals, calling them ‘smug elites.’ Finally … when the civil servants and techies have lost the public’s trust, just cut the other estates out of the information loop, take complete control over the cameras and government agencies and voilà! A tyranny that lasts millennia!

Alex felt the words wash over him. He had the strange fantasy the things were seeking places within him to lay their young.