Government System In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
Kurt Vonnegut’s dystopian story, Harrison Bergeron, is set in the year 2081, when everyone has been made equal. The means used to create this equality are not in any way unthinkable, although we may like to turn them away and think of them as such. Examining the first 50 years of the 20th century, you will notice a trend of reliance, trust, and general obedience to the government and the way things are. In the 60s however, with the anti-war protests and movements, citizens of the US became more aware of their impact on the government, and the fact that the government does not necessarily know best. In the following decades leading up to now, those thoughts have faded to the back of many people's minds, which may be a terrible mistake. If citizens are not conscious of the world they live in, it opens the door for scenarios, not unlike the happenings of 2081 and dictatorships, which have happened in many parts of the world already. These scenarios are in our past and present, and the similarities between 2081 and 2015 cannot be ignored.
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The way society and power is oriented in 2081 may seem impossible at first glance, but upon closer examination, the seeds of the system can be seen throughout the world, particularly here in our home country.
The government has transformed into a police, authoritarian state, and citizens have had all rights revoked. Speech is restricted, thinking is against the law. Today, virtually all non-physical interaction, meaning digital communication in all forms, is monitored by the government. Speech itself, although guaranteed in the US Constitution, can be limited and have extreme effects on a person's life. Edward Snowden worked for the government, and found disturbing evidence of invasive spying on citizens by the NSA. He then exposed this program to the world, making him a fugitive and forcing him to flee to Russia. Freedom of speech is slowly being eroded
away.
While the system is restricting rights, citizens themselves are laying the plan for their own downfall. Right now, one wrong word, phrase or sentence can eliminate all possibilities of a person being successful in life, because someone doesn't like what they've said. This generation has become obsessed with the PC ( Politically Correct), everyone gets a trophy for participation style of equality. This would be just fine if it didn't rely on the degradation of others to bring everyone else up to pace. Equality that brings others down instead of pushing people up to the bar is not true and and is not right.
When a government who wants complete compliance and knowledge of the average citizen's life meets a country of people willing to give it to them without questioning if they should, the result is an all-powerful authority. While this story is fictional, it isn't impossible, which can be seen in current events. Free speech must be preserved and people must toughen up. As citizens of a free country, a duty falls to each of us to keep the government in check. If we neglect this, 2081 may very well happen.
The way society and power is oriented in 2081 may seem impossible at first glance, but upon closer examination, the seeds of the system can be seen throughout the world, particularly here in our home country.
The government has transformed into a police, authoritarian state, and citizens have had all rights revoked. Speech is restricted, thinking is against the law. Today, virtually all non-physical interaction, meaning digital communication in all forms, is monitored by the government. Speech itself, although guaranteed in the US Constitution, can be limited and have extreme effects on a person's life. Edward Snowden worked for the government, and found disturbing evidence of invasive spying on citizens by the NSA. He then exposed this program to the world, making him a fugitive and forcing him to flee to Russia. Freedom of speech is slowly being eroded
away.
While the system is restricting rights, citizens themselves are laying the plan for their own downfall. Right now, one wrong word, phrase or sentence can eliminate all possibilities of a person being successful in life, because someone doesn't like what they've said. This generation has become obsessed with the PC ( Politically Correct), everyone gets a trophy for participation style of equality. This would be just fine if it didn't rely on the degradation of others to bring everyone else up to pace. Equality that brings others down instead of pushing people up to the bar is not true and and is not right.
When a government who wants complete compliance and knowledge of the average citizen's life meets a country of people willing to give it to them without questioning if they should, the result is an all-powerful authority. While this story is fictional, it isn't impossible, which can be seen in current events. Free speech must be preserved and people must toughen up. As citizens of a free country, a duty falls to each of us to keep the government in check. If we neglect this, 2081 may very well happen.