Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第3部分 (第1/7頁)

arly；　group　dynamics　was　perceived　as　old…fashioned；　a　field　that　had　seen　its　heyday　in　the　Gestalt　encounter　groups　and　corporate　brainstorming　procedures　of　the　early　1970s　but now　was　dated　and　passé。

Norman　himself　could　not　prehend　this。　It　seemed　to　him　that　American　society　was　increasingly　one　in　which　people　worked　in　groups；　not　alone；　rugged　individualism　was　now　replaced　by　endless　corporate　meetings　and　group　decisions。　In　this　new　society；　group　behavior　seemed　to　him　more　important；　not　less。　And　he　did　not　think　that　anxiety　＇＇14＇＇　as　a　clinical　problem　was　going　to　be　solved　with　pills。　It　seemed　to　him　that　a　society　in　which　the　most　mon　prescription　drug　was　Valium　was；　by　definition；　a　society　with　unsolved　problems。

Not　until　the　preoccupation　with　Japanese　managerial　techniques　in　the　1980s　did　Norman's　field　gain　a　new　hold　on　academic　attention。　Around　the　same　time；　Valium　dependence　became　recognized　as　a　major　concern；　and　the　whole　issue　of　drug　therapy　for　anxiety　was　reconsidered。　But　in　the　meantime；　Johnson　spent　several　years　feeling　as　if　he　were　in　a　backwater。　（He　did　not　have　a　research　grant　approved　for　nearly　three　years。）　Tenure；　and　finding　a　house；　were　very　real　problems。

It　was　during　the　worst　of　this　time；　in　late　1979；　that　he　was　approached　by　a　solemn　young　lawyer　from　the　National　Security　Council　in　Washington　who　sat　with　his　ankle　across　his　knee　and　plucked　nervously　at　his　sock。　The　lawyer　told　Norman　that　he　had　e　to　ask　his　help。

Norman　said　he　would　help　if　he　could。

Still　plucking　at　the　sock；　the　lawyer　said　he　wanted　to　talk　to　Norman　about　a　〃grave　matter　of　national　security　facing　our　country　today。〃

Norman　asked　what　the　problem　was。

〃Simply　that　thi