In the dystopian future, under the rule of the once-beloved administration, Gaia's residents are plagued by an astrological threat on a daily basis. The leaders of the world all agreed it would be in their own best interest to embrace these visitors, even if it meant the collapse of more than half of the world's population.
These visitors from beyond the safe barriers of the planet brought with them what all of Gaia craves. A great temptation to say the least. Gold. Riches beyond what any normal peasant could ever hope to work up for. Easy access to it, too. It seemed to just come out of thin air. The vast supplies of gold were handed out only to those who could give up that which the administration could benefit from. A commodity only a number of people could give up so easily.
And so with an easy way for residents to acquire the gold they so loved, purchases were made again and again until billions upon billions of gold flooded their economic system, ironically making it worthless. Those who couldn't afford to purchase gold were left with very little, waiting and waiting for the days their masters would pity them enough to release items they could afford through their own hard work. They were the lesser class now. Until the day they too gave into the new ways of life.
This new society became weak and oppressed. The voices of those begging the administration to stop their assault on the precious economy, their only means of continuing to live, smothered like a candle with only an apathetic shrug or an empty promise. Society needed a hero. A second chance.
A brave man with the power to change the very world stood and fought to undo the damage that had been done. This man worked day and night and created a means to restore life to the way it was! He made a gold sink. A way for everyone to voluntarily give up what was precious to them for the good of mankind. Look at how much they've given up, unsure of what the result would bring, if any. Billions of gold that was introduced to the world now destroyed forever! The world cheered. They were given their second chance. Their cries had not fallen on deaf ears! Hope was beginning to surface as more and more of the worthless riches were terminated.
But it had all been for nothing.
It wasn't long until the masters fought back. More gold was introduced into the economy at just as fast a rate. The economy was weakening once again and the people cried out "Who is to blame?" They turned to their once-savior and lashed out. They blamed him for everything. Their hero. "You were supposed to save us!" And then the hero realized a very painful truth; they did not want to be saved. They would not stop buying gold, they didn't care as long as they were safe. They would rather give in to the temptation and let the world rot around them than to fight for themselves.
With all hope gone, the hero left them to their fate. The crowd shouted behind him, "You've betrayed us!"
Their savoior did not even gaze at them. "No." he said simply "You've betrayed yourselves."