1950's science fiction story about a lottery where a person is selected each day and the person who kills...












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I read this story back in the 1950's or 1960's in an old science fiction magazine. I can't remember its title. You read what the main character is thinking as he begins another normal day in his life. He hears the morning lottery announcement that the person selected in the daily lottery is in North America.



A later announcement is that the selected person is in "I think" New York. The character is shopping and doing other things. The next announcement is that the selected person is in New York City. A bit later the announcement is that the selected person is a Man. The lottery announcements continue on until the selected person is narrowed down to either our main character of the man standing next to him.



Announcement reminds citizen of the severe penalty for plunging their Official Lottery Knife into the wrong person. The story ends when the other mans name is announced and he is killed instead of the Main Character. An interesting insight as to a possible direction our society might take.










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    10















    I read this story back in the 1950's or 1960's in an old science fiction magazine. I can't remember its title. You read what the main character is thinking as he begins another normal day in his life. He hears the morning lottery announcement that the person selected in the daily lottery is in North America.



    A later announcement is that the selected person is in "I think" New York. The character is shopping and doing other things. The next announcement is that the selected person is in New York City. A bit later the announcement is that the selected person is a Man. The lottery announcements continue on until the selected person is narrowed down to either our main character of the man standing next to him.



    Announcement reminds citizen of the severe penalty for plunging their Official Lottery Knife into the wrong person. The story ends when the other mans name is announced and he is killed instead of the Main Character. An interesting insight as to a possible direction our society might take.










    share|improve this question









    New contributor




    Paul Barney is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.























      10












      10








      10








      I read this story back in the 1950's or 1960's in an old science fiction magazine. I can't remember its title. You read what the main character is thinking as he begins another normal day in his life. He hears the morning lottery announcement that the person selected in the daily lottery is in North America.



      A later announcement is that the selected person is in "I think" New York. The character is shopping and doing other things. The next announcement is that the selected person is in New York City. A bit later the announcement is that the selected person is a Man. The lottery announcements continue on until the selected person is narrowed down to either our main character of the man standing next to him.



      Announcement reminds citizen of the severe penalty for plunging their Official Lottery Knife into the wrong person. The story ends when the other mans name is announced and he is killed instead of the Main Character. An interesting insight as to a possible direction our society might take.










      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Paul Barney is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      I read this story back in the 1950's or 1960's in an old science fiction magazine. I can't remember its title. You read what the main character is thinking as he begins another normal day in his life. He hears the morning lottery announcement that the person selected in the daily lottery is in North America.



      A later announcement is that the selected person is in "I think" New York. The character is shopping and doing other things. The next announcement is that the selected person is in New York City. A bit later the announcement is that the selected person is a Man. The lottery announcements continue on until the selected person is narrowed down to either our main character of the man standing next to him.



      Announcement reminds citizen of the severe penalty for plunging their Official Lottery Knife into the wrong person. The story ends when the other mans name is announced and he is killed instead of the Main Character. An interesting insight as to a possible direction our society might take.







      story-identification






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      edited 10 hours ago









      TheLethalCarrot

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      Paul BarneyPaul Barney

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          1 Answer
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          The short story is "It could be you" (1964) by Australian author Frank Roberts



          There's very little online about it, all I personally could find is from this link here:-



          https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/674502/recognise-short-story




          As early as 1964 The Australian short story writer Frank Roberts wrote a scathing critique of reality TV long before the recent onslaught of this type of television.



          The story was called "It Could Be You." The title is taken from a real popular television game show from the 1950s and 60s where a members of the audience were selected perform stunts to win a prize of their dreams.



          In the short story "It Could Be You" is an all day game show with roving cameras. A member of the public is selected and clues are given throughout the day by the jovial TV host to narrow down the characteristics of the individual selected. The winner of the game is the person who kills the person selected. The winner gets £100,000.



          It is a society which has channelled aggression into this television game show. Everyone carries an ICBY (It Could Be You) knife. The game is narrowed down to two young men in the menswear area of department store in the central city.



          As the clues narrow the possibilities people begin moving in for the kill, but they cannot move until the host names the person. The young man who survived finally exclaims, "Christ, what have they done to us?" His girlfriend replies, "There’s no need to be blasphemous."







          share|improve this answer

























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            1 Answer
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            1 Answer
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            active

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            active

            oldest

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            11














            The short story is "It could be you" (1964) by Australian author Frank Roberts



            There's very little online about it, all I personally could find is from this link here:-



            https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/674502/recognise-short-story




            As early as 1964 The Australian short story writer Frank Roberts wrote a scathing critique of reality TV long before the recent onslaught of this type of television.



            The story was called "It Could Be You." The title is taken from a real popular television game show from the 1950s and 60s where a members of the audience were selected perform stunts to win a prize of their dreams.



            In the short story "It Could Be You" is an all day game show with roving cameras. A member of the public is selected and clues are given throughout the day by the jovial TV host to narrow down the characteristics of the individual selected. The winner of the game is the person who kills the person selected. The winner gets £100,000.



            It is a society which has channelled aggression into this television game show. Everyone carries an ICBY (It Could Be You) knife. The game is narrowed down to two young men in the menswear area of department store in the central city.



            As the clues narrow the possibilities people begin moving in for the kill, but they cannot move until the host names the person. The young man who survived finally exclaims, "Christ, what have they done to us?" His girlfriend replies, "There’s no need to be blasphemous."







            share|improve this answer






























              11














              The short story is "It could be you" (1964) by Australian author Frank Roberts



              There's very little online about it, all I personally could find is from this link here:-



              https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/674502/recognise-short-story




              As early as 1964 The Australian short story writer Frank Roberts wrote a scathing critique of reality TV long before the recent onslaught of this type of television.



              The story was called "It Could Be You." The title is taken from a real popular television game show from the 1950s and 60s where a members of the audience were selected perform stunts to win a prize of their dreams.



              In the short story "It Could Be You" is an all day game show with roving cameras. A member of the public is selected and clues are given throughout the day by the jovial TV host to narrow down the characteristics of the individual selected. The winner of the game is the person who kills the person selected. The winner gets £100,000.



              It is a society which has channelled aggression into this television game show. Everyone carries an ICBY (It Could Be You) knife. The game is narrowed down to two young men in the menswear area of department store in the central city.



              As the clues narrow the possibilities people begin moving in for the kill, but they cannot move until the host names the person. The young man who survived finally exclaims, "Christ, what have they done to us?" His girlfriend replies, "There’s no need to be blasphemous."







              share|improve this answer




























                11












                11








                11







                The short story is "It could be you" (1964) by Australian author Frank Roberts



                There's very little online about it, all I personally could find is from this link here:-



                https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/674502/recognise-short-story




                As early as 1964 The Australian short story writer Frank Roberts wrote a scathing critique of reality TV long before the recent onslaught of this type of television.



                The story was called "It Could Be You." The title is taken from a real popular television game show from the 1950s and 60s where a members of the audience were selected perform stunts to win a prize of their dreams.



                In the short story "It Could Be You" is an all day game show with roving cameras. A member of the public is selected and clues are given throughout the day by the jovial TV host to narrow down the characteristics of the individual selected. The winner of the game is the person who kills the person selected. The winner gets £100,000.



                It is a society which has channelled aggression into this television game show. Everyone carries an ICBY (It Could Be You) knife. The game is narrowed down to two young men in the menswear area of department store in the central city.



                As the clues narrow the possibilities people begin moving in for the kill, but they cannot move until the host names the person. The young man who survived finally exclaims, "Christ, what have they done to us?" His girlfriend replies, "There’s no need to be blasphemous."







                share|improve this answer















                The short story is "It could be you" (1964) by Australian author Frank Roberts



                There's very little online about it, all I personally could find is from this link here:-



                https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/674502/recognise-short-story




                As early as 1964 The Australian short story writer Frank Roberts wrote a scathing critique of reality TV long before the recent onslaught of this type of television.



                The story was called "It Could Be You." The title is taken from a real popular television game show from the 1950s and 60s where a members of the audience were selected perform stunts to win a prize of their dreams.



                In the short story "It Could Be You" is an all day game show with roving cameras. A member of the public is selected and clues are given throughout the day by the jovial TV host to narrow down the characteristics of the individual selected. The winner of the game is the person who kills the person selected. The winner gets £100,000.



                It is a society which has channelled aggression into this television game show. Everyone carries an ICBY (It Could Be You) knife. The game is narrowed down to two young men in the menswear area of department store in the central city.



                As the clues narrow the possibilities people begin moving in for the kill, but they cannot move until the host names the person. The young man who survived finally exclaims, "Christ, what have they done to us?" His girlfriend replies, "There’s no need to be blasphemous."








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                edited 9 hours ago

























                answered 9 hours ago









                Danny3414Danny3414

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                3,27412159






















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