 What does Read's involvement in The Golden Spacemen tell us?
It's not so much the decisions a man does make that mark him as a Man—but the ones he refrains from making. Illustrated by Schoenherr Read locked the door and drew his pistol. If Umluana noticed Read's gun, he didn't show it. "Corporal Read is very young," Rashid said, "but he's a crack shot. Two men with rifles plunged into the gas; sighing, they fell to the floor in a catatonic trance. A grenade arced from the bushes and the pursuers recoiled from the cloud that rose before them. In a few minutes Miaka Station will know we're coming. Two types of recruits are accepted by the UN Inspector Corps: those with a fanatic loyalty to the ideals of peace and world order, and those who are loyal to nothing but themselves. It was the home of factory workers, clerks, semiskilled technicians, all who do the drudge work of civilization and know they will never do more. What he saw on the concrete fields between the tall apartment houses marked the limits of life's possibilities. The UN Inspector Corps had been founded to enforce the Nuclear Disarmament Treaty of 1966. Trained to use small arms and gas weapons, they guarded certain borders, bodyguarded diplomats and UN officials, even put down riots that threatened international peace. As the UN evolved into a strong world government, the UN Inspector Corps steadily acquired new powers. Read went through six months training on Madagascar. Rather than resign, he accepted punishment which assigned him to weeks of dull, filthy extra labor.
 His need to belong in a group.
 His lack of dedication to his own country.  His propensity for violence.  His desire to have a uniform.  His need to belong in a group.