The Grey Ones

The Grey Ones is a short story by J.B. Priestly. Published in 1953, it’s a narrative within the science fiction genre that was so popular then. Taking place in England when a successful businessman, Mr. Patson, becomes concerned that some sort of aliens were taking over earthlings, one by one. The Grey Ones indeed turns out to be about evil aliens, with a horrifying ending. The story is worth reading on its own and at less than 18 pages it doesn’t take long. But the dread lasts, particularly now when today’s equivalent are not weird shape-shifting toads, but shape-shifting control freaks. On a crazed rampage using any ideology to destroy America’s constitutionally limited government. Marxist “freebies”, Marxist “climate” and Marxist “influenzas”.  Out to destroy government “by the people” through an authoritarian global bureaucracy alien to ordinary life. One that over the centuries had created prosperity and longevity that could only have been accomplished through constitutionally protected freedoms. 

Early example of today’s very grand and encompassing “New World Order”

The story is an early example of today’s very grand and encompassing “New World Order” And in keeping with the ambition, today’s Grey Control Freaks are determined to destroy what had become the most prosperous republic in history.  Why?  They must have absolute, repeat absolute, control and being sociopaths have no regard for the damage done to ordinary folk. Which is the lesson in Priestley’s terrifying story.  In a session with a psychiatrist he had never met, the concerned Mr. Patson says: “there’s a kind of Evil Principle…that is working hard to ruin humanity.” And continues that the objective is: “to turn us into automatic creatures…mass beings without individuality.”  A 1950s anticipation of political correctness.  Furthermore: “They arrange to get jobs for one another, more and more influence and power”.  In another paragraph, Priestley clearly discusses the real threat as Communism, while today’s critics understand that today’s equivalent movement any “ism” will serve. On their drive for total control, this age’s shapeshifters will use anything. For those in the early 1970s it was threats of Ice Ages and hysteria about “Acid Rain”.  A little later it was the horrors of “Alar On Apples”, which wasn’t much of a political mover, but nevertheless worth a try.  Now it is that the Earth is going to “fry”. The story continues with “We’re further along the road we never wanted to travel. My God—doctor— can’t you feel it yourself?”  Earlier, Patmore had secretly watched a large meeting of the aliens organized under the banner “New Era Community Planning Association”, where he hears something about “Lord of the Creeping Hosts”. As he momentarily sees them shift into another shape with eyes: “all greeny, unblinking, and shining out of Hell.”  The story ends with our hero distraught and the psychiatrist beckoning his colleague as well as very strong orderly in white, and saying: “You are a very sick man”. And “you must put yourself in our hands” as the doctor’s eyes begin to shine green.  One wonders if cartoonist Gahan Wilson had known the story.

Bob Hoye——Bio and Archives

Bob Hoye (BobHoye.com) has been researching investments for decades, which eventually included the history of financial and political markets. He considers now to be the most fascinating time for both since the Great Reformation of the 1600s.  Bob casts a caustic eye on all promotions and, having a degree in geophysics, is severely critical of the audacity that a committee can “manage” not just the economy, but also the temperature of the nearest planet. He has had articles published in major financial journals and, as a speaker, has amused assemblies in a number of cities, from London to Zurich to Tokyo.