e didn't think so.

_The first man into space. The first man to the Moon!_

"... a world atomic war may break within six months. In spite of
propaganda being fed to the people, trying to paint this atomic war as
just another war, we know it will probably be the last war, the end of
civilization. So our philosophical revolution, the revolution of men's
minds, will begin in approximately six months from tonight. But if
this last war breaks, our centuries-old plan will fail; it will never
even materialize.

"The revolution is quite delicate. Simultaneously, all over the world,
at a specific time, and under rigidly-controlled and favorable
circumstances, the movement we have been building so long will spring
up. Nothing can stop it then, once the spiritual fires begin to burn!
But it can't begin until the exact scheduled moment. Your job will be
to attempt to prolong this present 'peace' until our plan can go into
effect. That's why you're making this trip to the moon."

Barlow laughed. "That doesn't mean a damn thing to me. To me, the only
important thing is that I'm the first man into space. That's enough
for anyone to know."

"Is it?"

"I'm just Hal Barlow, a guy who's had several other names, and who's
really only a number! I joined the Brotherhood for kicks, not
lectures! I'll do this job, in my own way, because I want to do it.
For Hal Barlow!"

The man in the shadows nodded slowly. "Can't you feel what it means?
Our spiritual revolution? You've read some of the works we've printed
on it. This feeling of oneness with humanity. That's the real value.
Can't you--"

Barlow said. "Isn't the offer of my life enough?"

The shadow said. "Maybe--for us, for people. But what about you? Maybe
there are some things even you can't face alone. And think of those
people out there; they need and cling to each other, even to each
others' madness. Living in futile hope while going on down the crazy
toboggan-ride to their own destruction. The living loudly and in
public, because to be silent allows reality to enter in on feet of
terror; and because 'to be alone' means madness. The simulated gaiety
of the bars every night, with the shadows outside that never seem to
go away, even under the glare of neon. They've never had a chance to
plan, to live with any hope for the future. Burdened down by anxiety,
they've built up a defense of falseness, and underneath, the terrible
fear of the atomic bomb is a constant inner sickness!"