Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author. And today’s quote comes from his most famous short stories: “Harrison Bergeron.”
Intro Music
I don’t need to set the scene for this one. Vonnegut does it himself in the story’s opening:
“THE YEAR WAS 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.”
Before we get into literary application, I want to plug the short film based on the short story. The movie’s called 2081 and it is fantastic!
Literary Classroom Application
“Harrison Bergeron” shows a dystopian society where government and the misapplication of equality has evolved with tragic consequences. In the year 2081–less than 60 years away–the meaning of equality has changed from being equal under the law as intended (with varying degrees of success) in the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution to equality meaning that everybody has to be equal on every which way.
In this case, government working under the pretense of promoting equality strips away individual rights in an effort to gain absolute control of its populace. Although the degree to which it is done in the story is extreme, the concept shouldn’t be foreign to anyone who follows current events.
Mental Strength Moment
Let’s talk about the concept of giving up freedoms so our feelings don’t get hurt or trading in our freedom for comfort and safety. When it comes to achieving your goals and dreams, are you sacrificing your potential success and freedom for comfort and security?
Could you achieve more freedom in your life, by getting out of your comfort zone?
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