Confidence Game

"Confidence Game" by James McKimmey, Jr. is a science fiction tale that exposes the hidden dangers of chasing ultimate efficiency and control in the workplace. This story centers on George H. Cutter, a driven business owner obsessed with boosting his company's output. When a device called the Confidet promises to amplify his staff's confidence and thereby their productivity, he jumps at the opportunity. Initially, Cutter celebrates the surge in efficiency, but his obsession with control grows, leading to unforeseen consequences. This ambition sets off a chain of events that reshapes the power dynamics within his company, alters relationships, and ultimately engineers his own undoing, revealing a stark warning about the hidden cost of tampering with human nature.