Frigid Fracas

"Frigid Fracas" by Mack Reynolds is a science fiction story that shows a future world run by social classes, where what people think of you matters more than who you are. The main character, Major Joseph Mauser, is trying to climb the social ladder, but he's stuck being a soldier in a world that loves watching violence on TV. We meet Mauser drunk at a bar, worrying about his place in society. He talks to a TV reporter who tells him that heroes are made by the media. Mauser, wanting to be famous and move up in the world, makes a risky deal with the reporter to get his name out there by putting his life in danger. This sets up a story that looks at how the media, the military, and wanting to be important all mix together, while also looking at what it means to want something, who you are, and how society puts people in boxes.