The classic episode of “The Twilight Zone” ends with a government code-breaker discovering the subject matter of the book, “To Serve Man.”

The book was brought to Earth by aliens who solved all of mankind’s problems.

The aliens, rather than swoop down and grab whomever they wanted, incrementally gained the trust of the people, gave them everything they wanted and solved all of their energy, food, air, water and health problems.

Finally, the benevolent aliens hosted trips to the home planet for the Earthlings.­ How exciting!­ A trip to space!­ Instead, it was a one-way trip to the dinner plates of the aliens.

How sinister, how evil are those who would befriend someone just to plan to control him or her and harm them in the long run (eat them, in the case of The Twilight Zone story).

What would they have to gain by befriending the Earthlings?­ Why not just grab them up and force them into the ships?­ I have a theory:

If you are an alien with a looming food shortage, you probably have had the time to find out where that thing you need is and created a plan of how to get it.

You want those you wish to control to go willingly.­ It is important for you to convince them that it is for their own benefit to trust what you say and do.

Then, follow it up with free things, solutions to all problems and promises of even greater things to come – all the while controlling every part of their existence.

The people you want to control must not be agitated.­ No, forceful attacks are messy and eventually lead to too much trouble.

You certainly do not want to damage the merchandise.­ They must be kept in the dark and fresh for your purposes.­ It is much easier to just have them go along willingly in your evil plan, thinking all is right with the world.­ It does not matter how long it takes.

Eventually, you will get what you want tenfold.­ Later, if the people resist, you can just lock them up or kill the ones who resist.­ By then, all the others will agree that you should eliminate the troublemakers.

In ancient times, the society with the most warriors and weapons simply defeated and took from the weaker one.­ In societies where the populace is armed, it is much more difficult to overtake and control the people.

So, since World War II, we have seen more sinister methods:­ infiltrate a society, promise friendship, “democracy” and cooperation, and then incrementally remove the rights from the people.

The goals are always the same: control the populace.­ Sometimes it is for “the common good,” sometimes it is to “save the planet” or “save the children” or “education.”

And sometimes it is just for the greedy need of a few to have much (of course, always for your own good) and for the many to serve the few.

It was the 1950s and early 1960s when Damon Knight wrote “To Serve Man” and Rod Serling adapted it for his television show.­ The zeitgeist was post-WWII and they both had been traumatized by the horrors of war.

Knight and Serling had witnessed firsthand the unfolding terror of leaders who initially promised solutions to all problems, only to resort to mass murder to accomplish their evil goals.

They saw the Nazi and Soviet threat and predicted the infiltration of communism into the American government.

These days, the threats are still there ”” they just come in different ideologies.

Many of us will soon vote in our first election, be it for president, senator, propositions or state representatives.­ Many questions come to my mind:

Have you researched the candidates?­ Who really is he or she?­ If they are up for reelection, how have they voted?­ What is their background?­ Have you read any books they have written?­ What policies have they championed?

Did their speeches sound one way during their campaign and their actions prove completely different?­ What was their true agenda?­ Vote them out if you please.

Do not count on the press to inform you ”” inform yourself.

Have you read your voter guide about the propositions?­ The analyses and “pros and cons” sections paint a very different picture than what you hear in the radio or television commercials.

As you study the issues, ask yourself:­ How will this affect my family and me?­ How is this going to impact my paycheck and tax return?­ What is this going to cost us?­ Are the benefits worth the cost? (Sadly, it is almost always about your money and who controls it).

While you are at it, check out the state budget.­ It is there for all to see on the California state website.­ Eye-opening.

Step back a moment. Is your head telling you something different than what you are hearing are the “facts?”­ You are probably right.­ Do your own homework and then trust your instincts.­ Vote accordingly.­ Is it not wonderful that you have this power?­ Use it wisely.

The point of this foray into the current election is clear: Whether or not you are a first-time voter, more than ever you must be a critical thinker.

Your voice does count, and you and your children’s future will be impacted.­ You must not fall for eloquent speeches full of promises of wonderful things to come.

This is the beauty and the curse of a representative republic like America. We do get to choose how we want to live and not be under the control of others ”” unless we give them that control.

It is a brilliant design of government ”” you get what you choose.­ So choose wisely.­ The government truly is of, by and for the people.

But more than any other time in our history, we must take an active role and not follow blindly into the spaceship.

“The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs, and explosions, and fallout,” Serling said in a 1967 Los Angeles Times interview.

“There are weapons that are simply thoughts, ideas, prejudices, to be found only in the minds of men . . . and the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone.”