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story identification - Identify this novel: youngsters psychologically tested for abilities/profession, hero wants to author the tests, society uses moving walkways


I'm trying to find a book I heard about once.


Little is known:



  • it was already in print in 1990's


  • there were moving walkways (used for chasing in one scene)

  • hero was predetermined to work as cleaner/sweeper, wanted to become an author of these tests ("books", "long books") that were used to determine profession,

  • and it was revealed that those who don't pass the test are actually rare genius.


It sounds much close to "Brave New World" or Gattaca's scenario, or Heinleins "Roads must roll", but is neither.



The most reason I'm interested in finding this book is, that Iar Elterrus's novels (these I'm currently worshipping) contains a ton of references to such plot, and I want to discourage myself knowing if the plot was actually "stolen" or not.


Also, references to such universes (psychological screening, massively genetic prenatal-tested society?) are welcome in comments even if they don't match the full request.



Answer



The Asimov story "The Profession" mentioned in the other answer is one good possibility.



Another possibility is Keith Laumer's "Placement Test." I can't find enough information online to be sure it matches the moving sidewalk you mention, and my copy (I have it in this collection) is packed away at the moment, so the following is probably only approximately correct:


People's jobs/positions in society are determined by tests. The protagonist knows he's bright, and hopes to work his way up to an executive position, but somehow his test results say he's only suited for a menial job.


He's sure there's been a mistake so he tries to figure out who's responsible for the tests but doesn't get anywhere. As he gets more desperate, he cheats his way into a re-test, then breaks in to a part of the testing building where only executives or people being tested for executive can go, gets access to the testing computer and enters outstanding score results for himself and ends up getting a top-level executive job.


Not many days later, a guy that he eluded while breaking in to the executive floor confronts him and explains that his bad test results were themselves a test - and by taking matters into his own hands he's proved that he should be one of the decision makers.


The style is a bit cheesy by today's standards, but for its time (written in 1964 apparently), it depicts a somewhat gritty, dystopian society.


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